


Much ado about an arm.

by aquitaineq



Category: Avengers, Marvel, captatain america
Genre: Alpha - Freeform, Alpha Tony, F/M, Female Steve, Omega Steve, Soul Bond, fem steve, omega - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-04
Updated: 2017-04-12
Packaged: 2018-07-20 00:56:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 34,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7384597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aquitaineq/pseuds/aquitaineq
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stephanie Rogers would do anything to help her brother Bucky who has just lost his arm in combat.  She is an Omega who has never been with a man, offering a companionship contract with one for auction...who will win, perhaps...Tony Stark.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Hey!” 

Tony felt a weight on top of him and a light constant tap on his face, “hey...hey..hey!”

Waking up he felt like he was the victim of a cat wanting to be fed at 4am...which was kind of the case. “Steph, what is it?” She narrowed her eyes at him as if she thought he was trying to be sarcastic or just trying to annoy her, “I'm Hungry!” 

She said it as if it was his fault. Bucky warned him, warned him what his mother went through when she was pregnant with Stephanie, the hormonal omega, you are supposed to know what I want whenever you want because you are an alpha, stage. Except this time, poor Bucky didn't have to deal with trying to figure out what his mother wanted whilst pregnant with his half sister. 

But it helped Tony a great deal with trying to address his omega's needs. He found that she was mounted over his hips which was so damn hot despise the size of her baby bump. She was going to slap again before he grabbed her hand and just begged, “Okay okay, what do you want?!?” 

She clambered off him and tried to think, “I, uh, I want watermelon, a Gyro, a five guys burger with what you should know I like, and an orange sherbert!”

Stephanie said it all like it was normal and with a satisfied smile curled up next to him. 

Tony just shouted, “Jarvis!” 

A light British voice answered, “Done sir, please help Ms. Stephanie relax.”

He didn't even stop to think how Jarvis would get everything asked for, especially since five guys wasn't open 24 hours, but then again he didn't care, as long as she got what she wanted.

She curled up next to Tony like a cat and nearly purred. Tony held her close, rubbing, stroking, everything his cat liked. She was his world, she was his everything.

Then he hissed a bit when she grabbed him hard and kissed, long and deep, god her hormones were off the wall and she was due to deliver in only two weeks time. They told him to try to stave off sex if he could help it but it was so damn hard! And he meant that in every sense of the word!

He had done his best to pleasure her in every way possible other than the physical sense in some paranoid fear of hurting his baby but he knew that he was just being irrational. 

“God dammit Tony, just make love to me!” Stephanie was tired of the damn alphas' who thought omegas were weak and couldn't take, well, anything! She wasn't just hungry for food, she needed her alpha's touch! 

“I'm not going to fall apart, I need you!”

She did her best to pull him to her kissing him, he only fought it a little, still stupidly feeling irrational about the baby, but she was his omega and he was her alpha. He was supposed to protect her, but then again he was also supposed to make her happy...so if she was shouting at him to make love to her........he should probably listen.  
He was gentle, she pushed, so he wasn't so gentle and she cried out his name and begged and so he was hard and fast and she cried out “Alpha, alpha,” over and over again and he wasn't the least bit proud of it........Oh god dammit, some how he knew the first time he'd laid eyes on her that she'd be the end of him. That oddly dressed, oddly bitter smelling woman obsessed with his new cyborg kinetic limbs. 

Two Years Ago

Tony Stark was leading an exhibition at the latest science expo at the whatever was the local science center expo, he didn't care, they all ran together! 

The focus of this one was cyborg kinetic limbs, designed to help individuals re-create their normal lives after terrible accidents and so forth...........so charitable! 

Tony also knew that it could be quite lucrative and help with his trying to expand Stark Industries portfolio, something other than weapons for a change. Plus it was good for PR. 

So of course he found a military man with a stellar record to be his experiment and at the fair he got to show off all the good Tony Stark did for him! 

Clint Barton, was a fine omega example, he was patient, he was charming, and he had a brand new arm thanks to one Tony Stark. 

Stephanie Rogers nearly fainted at the sight, she had come at the request of her good friend and roommate Darcy who insisted on getting her out more often. Despite the requests of Stephanie's older brother who waited worriedly overseas. 

Most people would think it odd, but not Darcy, to go to such a place for 'fun'. She slapped the man, “Clint” on the artificial arm and said, “good job babe!” Stephanie was mortified, “I am so sorry, she is just..” Clint stopped her, “It's fine, I like people who are to the point...in that regard, you need to lose that awful beta scent!” 

Steph recoiled, “I'm sorry?” 

Clint tried to explain, “Look, I'm an omega, and I understand what you are trying to do but that scent is terrible! Try Grey Mist, it's a nice combo with the omega scent but kinda dilutes it.”

Stephanie just nods, “Thanks, I know it's awful but my brother makes me wear it, he says he can't go overseas unless I promise to wear it.” 

He tried to nod and understand, he was an omega after all, but then....he took her wrist, grabbed it and rubbed hard and then sniffed at her pressure point, it was embarrassing but he was so curious that he felt like he had to do it. 

Stephanie is just starring at him, he just looks hard at her, “Your brother has a point.” That is all he can say, because it's true. She looks hurt, almost like she wants someone to say, “no your brother isn't crazy thinking that the alphas of the world won't fight over you.” but that wouldn't be right, it'd be a lie, god, he's an omega and he'd fight for her. 

She was just........perfect. And therefore, he was tempted when he sensed a desire from her to make a move, probably because brother would love for her to end up with another omega, but he had to decline the urge as he could never hope to make her truly happy, not that he couldn't make another omega happy. But at her levels she definitely needed an alpha. 

Then Tony Stark appeared...Clint knew that Stark was an Alpha and kind of wanted to introduce the woman to him, but doesn't really have any idea if that would be OK with him, he just gestures to the two odd girls and goes back to his demonstrations. Tony lets the two odd woman follow him as he points out a power point board. Darcy pretends to care, but Steph listens to every word, about movement, feeling, flexibility, like you'd have you're own arm back! 

Stephanie touches Mr. Stark's arm gently and thanks him for his time, but he jerks away lightly and just gives her a weird look and disappears...like so many. She knew that if she shed the horrid beta hormone and so on she'd get so much more attention, but she hated being indiscreet. Plus, would it kill a guy to care about a girl who was interested in the subject!?! Of course it wasn't just the scent, Bucky practically picked out all her clothes himself, she looked like a librarian, and not the sexy kind that reads Freud out loud. The kind that goes 'SHUSH' every time you breathe too loudly. 

Tony goes to Clint later, “What was up with that girl?” Clint doesn't even try to pretend, “Sorry, I hoped you'd catch on, just trying to help a fellow omega with a domineering brother.”

“What?!!” Clint just stared, “Dude, no beta smells like that, brother dear uses that to keep the men at bay, I got a good smell of her wrist and it was amazing! Here.” He held out the hand he'd gripped her wrist with and her scent still lingered lightly on his fingers, “I might never wash this hand ever again.” he joked in good nature.

Dear God he was right, a scent of lilacs and musk, and god knows what else but it went straight to his head. He wanted to cut Clint's hand off and preserve it. Seeming to know what he was thinking Clint whipped his hand back and pretended to look afraid. 

Tony suddenly understood that the woman had cared more about the subject than his money.......damn. And that spark when she touched him, fuck he probably just missed out on some potentially awesome sex if he'd just gone along with it. 

He even contacted Jarvis to see if he could locate her but security had shown that she'd left a half hour ago and while he had the capability to track her down even Jarvis wouldn't allow it. There were laws against stalking omegas for a reason, and he wasn't going to be like one of those Alphas that made the rest look like complete assholes. 

The instinct to find and claim her would pass eventually, he went back out and found a pretty beta girl to take home instead.


	2. chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky needs help and Stephanie make a choice.

As for Stephanie, it wasn't long before she was more than interested in the subject, like deathly interested. When her half brother returned from combat with no left arm.........well it was a shock, when she learned the rather traumatic events that lead up to it she had no idea what to do to help him or make it better!

They'd had a hard childhood. Their mother was an omega but she'd never been protected, she was used and had two illegitimate children in the process. The man who should have been their father was really her pimp. It was because of that that they ended with two different names. James Buchanan Barnes, and Stephanie Rogers. 

As much as they loved each other growing up despite everything, it was very difficult. Their Mother was bitter and distrustful towards alphas and Bucky suffered through it, but it took it's toll. Bucky's father broke her the way omega's should never be allowed to be hurt, normally omegas were treasured, but when you are disadvantaged things are different. Bucky left for the Army as soon as he turned eighteen and it was hard when he was gone but he promised that as soon as he saved enough money he'd come for her. 

Being alone with their Mother had been the worst year of her life, she taught them that nothing came without a price, even love...even bonded love. To the point where over time both did their best to avoid any possibility of it happening....and then she died. She just up and died before either could have their peace or goodbyes or anything.........

She was fourteen then and Bucky as her only living relative was given legal guardianship and the military provided them an apartment. It helped that she was an omega, they expected that she'd need alpha protection and while she scoffed at that a bit it did help them in the situation. 

Things were great then, they were so happy together. She lived on base with him and when he was overseas there were a lot of army wives and husbands to socialize with and she had friends other than Bucky for the first time in her life. There were even a few omegas who took her under their wing and prepared her for what to expect when her first heat arrived and dear lord did she need their help. They had a special clinic on base and when she was sixteen it hit her and it hit her hard! 

It had actually caused an major incident and her brother had been rushed back from maneuvers. 

She'd always had a particularly strong omega scent, or so she was told. But after wards it was so much stronger, so much so that she had to wear blockers. 

Stephanie had been hard at work in math class, doing her best to understand everything the teacher was writing on the board. Math was never her strong point. She liked history, art, English, even biology was ok; but physics, chemistry, and math... It didn't help that her teacher didn't expect her to be any good at it either so he didn't push her to do better.

Scribbling on the paper she suddenly gasped as another sharp cramp struck her in her abdomen. It'd been going on all day but this was the worst causing her to drop her pen. It was loud enough that the teacher, Mr. Williams stopped to look over his shoulder an annoyed look on his face; but he took one look at hers and his face went a little white. 

“Class work on free study.” 

He didn't say anything just gestured for her to stand and follow him. She didn't protest, something told her that she shouldn't hesitate. Later she found out that seeing as she was one of only three omegas in the school that the teachers were all told to keep an eye on her as first heats typically start around age fifteen. 

She took notice of his extreme attempt to keep himself composed, he didn't even say good bye when they reached the nurse's office, just swiftly turned back the way he came.

Hoping that she hadn't done anything terribly wrong she turned to the nurse who had stood up quickly in surprise, but it didn't take her too long to figure out what was going on, the scent after all. 

“Wow dear, you really need to try to reign that in!” 

Stephanie had no freaking idea what she was talking about, though her scent did seem awfully strong. The nurse turned back to her desk and pulled something out, it looked like a chap stick tube. She popped off the cap and smeared it all over her neck and wrists. 

Sighing she grabbed a medical bag and said, “There that's much better, come on I'll take you to the clinic.” 

Finally she understood what the hell was going on, turning beet red she just nodded and followed her out the door. The cramp was getting worse and she just tried to breath deep like she'd been taught to do. 

They hopped into a golf cart, it was the preferred way to get around base if you were a civilian. Everything went to hell when they were caught behind some transport vehicles. There was a group of soldiers practicing drills to their right, the nurse was shouting at the men to move it or lose it and Steph actually laughed when all of a sudden a warm fluid spread between her legs and dear lord the smell, she though for a second that she peed herself. 

The nurse looked at her in horror and then her head snapped towards the troops. She looked as well and suddenly she realized all was silent. 

A sizable portion of the soldiers, the commander including, had stopped what they were doing and were starring at her. Some of the men and even several women started pacing towards her. The Commander shouted, “Soldiers stay in line!” in his best commanding Alpha voice, it stopped a few but not all.

Then some of them started running at her and she screamed. At that almost all of the other soldiers reacted and began to run after and tackle the errant soldiers. The nurse grabbed her and pulled her out through the drivers side and they ran. They got pretty far before she felt someone tackle them from behind. 

It was a very large man, he was tall and muscled, but it was his eyes that scared her the most. Fierce and determined to get what he wanted. He flung the nurse away and he threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and clearly had every intention to carry her off like King Kong. 

He stalked away with her, but soon they were surrounded, the commander had caught up by then, “Stafford stand down NOW!” Stafford just growled at him. Stephanie had no idea what to do, she was crying and begging the man to put her down. 

Then he was down, it was the nurse, she had a dart gun in her hand. The Commander tried to help her up but she shied away afraid of him touching her. He looked a little hurt but just shouted at the nearest omega, “Adams, get her to the clinic!” The nurse and Sargent Adams pulled her up threw her into the nearest vehicle and tore off. 

Bucky finally made it to the clinic and found her a sobbing mess, trying to apologize to everyone she could. He managed to get her to relax and sleep so he could talk to the doctors. They told him that they'd never seen anything like it before. 

Once she was cleared to leave a few days later Bucky came to pick her up. She had been given blockers, both pills and more of that chap stick stuff, but for Bucky it wasn't enough. 

He stood her up, pulled a bottle from his coat pocket and sprayed her neck and wrists with a strange bitter smelling perfume.

She tried to pull away, “Ewww Bucky that stuff stinks!” 

But he grabbed her and held her still spraying more on her hair, “EXACTLY!” 

That made her stand still.

Sighing deeply he put his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eye, “You will promise me to wear this stuff whenever you go outside, got me!” 

Trying not to cry she just mumbled, “I promise.” Bucky pulled her into a hug and kissed her head, the scent bitter in his mouth, “You'll get used to it Steph.”

She was twenty five when Bucky lost his arm, and with it is life and livelihood. He'd been a sniper in the special forces, he loved the Army and his career, now what could he do. He was dismissed and given disability pay, it paid the rent but not much else. She tried to take care of him, but he was a stubborn alpha and resented having to rely on his sister for support. 

Depressed, lost, and just......she just couldn’t name it, but her brother just seemed gone! But she wouldn't give up! 

After their mother died he tried to protect and take care of her, now she wanted to do the same...so she forced her roommate Darcy to help her find a solution. 

She'd just come back from the VA hospital and was thoroughly depressed. Bucky was despondent and just sat staring at the TV, clearly not watching it, just staring. She tried to talk to the doctor about a prosthesis remembering the man with the amazing artificial arm. 

Dr. Sam Wilson was sympathetic but broke it her as gently as he could that the military insurance would never cover anything as grand as Stark tech, they'd be lucky if they would even been willing to do the surgery involved. Bucky was more likely to get a plastic metal contraption with a hook at the end!

Darcy her roommate was a cocktail waitress and on certain nights she'd work for very exclusive events. Stephanie knew that she was capable of being so much more but her eccentric nature suited her job. At least she appealed to certain clients anyway, and she made great tips. 

And Darcy knew that she was one hell of a beta but she was no omega, and since she knew that they were rare as fuck she told Stephanie that she could set up a meeting with the boss who ran the weekly exclusive events. If she hired her she could hope to take home a lot of cash in tips. But she hesitated, she really wasn't good at flirting or anything. 

Still the thought kept circling in her head, what if she could raise enough money to get Bucky a real prosthetic, like Clint had, or at least one nearly as good!

She waitress-ed in real life at a diner and she did her best but that beta scent stuff really did affect her tips. It wasn't as bad as the stuff Bucky first made her wear, but she wasn't a beta and it made her smell 'off putting' apparently. She was constantly told by Darcy not to fuck with her scent, that if she at least let some of it through she'd get more tips! The blockers really did help, they'd improved over the years, but it'd never been enough for Bucky, he wanted her to repel men not attract them. And after what happened during her first heat she kinda did to. She wanted a guy to like her personality not her scent.

But today, after seeing Bucky in such a terrible funk, she finally asked Darcy to please introduce her to her boss. Maybe she could just be a server, cocktail waitress, bartender, anything! Anything that could lead to better care for her brother and maybe even a kick ass prosthetic like Clint had. 

Darcy made sure to force Stephanie to wash and only use the normal suppressants when she came to visit her rather infamous boss, Natasha Romanoff....the woman was an incorrigible alpha, and she didn't give a damn about anyone's 'personal feelings'. 

Stephanie put on a brave smile and Darcy tried to explain why they were there when suddenly Natasha put her hand forward in the universal 'shut up' position. She sniffed. She got up from her desk and went to a nearby sink, there, she grabbed a clothed, wet it, and thrust it forward. 

“Wash off that shit you paste on your neck”, she told Stephanie. Darcy just shrugged and Steph just rubbed as hard as she could. After a couple minutes Natasha came forward, patted her neck dry and sniffed deep and hard and nearly lost herself. 

“Darcy, please get ready for work, I need to talk to your friend.” 

Darcy almost didn't leave, but Stephanie gave her a begging look. 

“Stephanie Rogers right?” Natasha Romanoff asked.

Still rubbing the cloth against her neck she nodded, “Yeah, that's me.” 

She knew that the odds of just being an omega cocktail waitress was slim to none, I mean, if she allowed her true the scent the men would literally fight over who got to order the first drink. This woman, Natasha, was too damn smart. 

“You know that you can't just be a normal waitress here like your friend, I mean maybe after years of......” “Never mind...” She added after looking at the poor girl, despite herself she found herself having pity. 

“I can perhaps offer you something different, a companionship contract”. Stephanie blanched a little but nodded, showing her interest in at least hearing about it.

Steeling herself she asked the important questions, “Are you really untouched?” She turned red but nodded yes. “Are you truly willing to do this?” A slight wait and then a firm YES.  
Natasha explained how it works. You agree to stay with the winning bidder for a certain about of time, you aren't expected to stay if you are mistreated but you are expected to do as they ask. They typically provide anything you need while you stay with them. And under no circumstances should you bond with them. 

If you do then you can't expect them to bond back. That made her shudder a bit, thinking of her mother. But finally Stephanie turned to Natasha and asks, “What happens now?” 

Natasha takes Stephanie in her arms, pulls her long blonde hair down from her bun, strips her clothes and forces her to look at her naked self in a mirror. Stephanie is ashamed and uncertain, but Natasha forces her hands from her face and tells her, “You are a goddess!” She makes Stephanie actually look at herself. 

Smiling Natasha says, “Soon at least you will have some idea what you are truly worth, though add ten fold please!”.

“I have a special event going in two weeks, I can offer a 30 day contract, I get 20%, you stay with the alpha or whoever bids the most and you get the rest, I will start the bidding at 5 grand, does that suit you?”

Stephanie notes that she dimly remembers Clint telling her that his arm was worth over a hundred thousand dollars...well, it was a start. “Yes Ma'am”

Natasha smirked and got her girl ready.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love the idea of Bucky as a protective older brother, so that is why aren't just 'friends.'


	3. chapther 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two get to know each other and enjoy each other.

Darcy was weird about everything, Stephanie told her that Natasha said she wouldn't be a great asset until she was more experienced due to the obvious risks. She tried to believe her, but she remembered the look on Natasha's face when she scented her friend. It wasn't right, but she also knew that Stephanie was stubborn as a pig. 

Tony Stark was not impressed by Justin Hammer's annoyingly coy party, it was almost like you had to know that something else was going on. Which of course he did, but it was kind of sleazy. Jarvis had told him a head of time that women of questionable background would appear in a back room in the after hours of the night. 

In fact he knew so far in advance that he had prepared to be as far away as possible when he'd suddenly come upon an impossible scent.

Stephanie was told to stop her pill suppressants asap, she got it, but it also meant hiding in her apartment. Omegas always had to deal with alphas going after them, but she was different, her pheromones were off the chart. Always have been since she hit puberty. Which is when her mom tried to hide and 'educate' her and why Bucky trained her to defend herself and later to wear that horrible scent. 

But she did was she was told and was escorted into a building through a garage, she almost felt her damn scent leaving a trail goddammit. 

When she arrived to the event Natasha nearly turned white when she saw her and quickly left after asking her people to prepare her and get ready, she was truly supposed to be the surprise of the event. 

Justin Hammer made some stupid sleazy comment about getting girls that almost got Tony to tell him to fuck off and leave, but the scent was heady in the air. He knew that Justin sensed it too. He'd be dammed if he'd lose to Justin Hammer on anything, he needed to know what this was all about. 

They both made their way to the back room with rather scary looking bouncers but neither had an issue getting in. 

Stephanie was seriously having an anxiety attack; she'd been waxed, dressed, primped, etc, but had no fucking idea what the hell she was doing. She knew in her head that she was hoping to help her brother but also that if he knew how she was going about this that he'd never forgive her!

But now she was here and she had no idea how the hell to stop it, and part of her didn't want to. She was tired of hiding the fact that she was an omega, maybe she just wanted to get it out there, get the initial sex out there, maybe it would help with her pheromones. It's not like you have to bond with your first just because you are an omega....right?

Natasha's women put her in a white gown with spaghetti straps, it showed off all her curves but was innocent in the way I'm sure they were hoping for. They did her make up, manicure, pedicure, but kept it as 'natural' as they could. She guessed that was what alphas liked with new omegas. 

Suddenly Darcy was at her side, “Steph, are you crazy!?!” Suddenly going cold she turned to her friend, “My mom did this for years, I can do this just once.” 

Darcy took a step back, betrayed looking, but she let it go and ran off.

Steph knew that she had possibly lost her friend, and maybe she'd lose her brother, but she'd gain something for them goddammit, like bravery instead of constant fear. 

Tony and Hammer walked into the foyer of whatever the hell this place was and found themselves surrounded by beautiful women and men. Alphas, betas, and even one or two clearly experienced omegas.

Tony soon understood what this place was, a place to pick up a high class hooker. Shit he wondered how long it would take him to sneak out when suddenly a beautiful red headed woman came out on the orchestra stand. 

She had a microphone and addressed the crowd, “Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the weekly revel of the Romanoff Club, I thank you one and all for your wonderful patronage!” She waited a minute for the requisite cheering to stop. I have a special surprise for our alphas men and woman alike! Maybe even some of our betas! She said with a wink!”

Natasha make a come hither motion, “Please welcome Stephanie!” 

She stepped out, in the white clingy gown, long wavy blond hair, bright blue eyes staring at the crowd and obviously doing her best to look calm and elegant; but the crowd grew deadly silent when she came to the stage. She even heard a glass drop and shatter in the background. She thought that was a bad sign but Natasha knew better. 

“That's right folks, I have a lovely guaranteed untouched omega who is offering a thirty day contract, the starting bid is...”

Stephanie expected her to start at five thousand like she first mentioned, but Natasha gave her a rather pointed look, took a deep long sniff in the air making a pleasured humming sound and said, “Fifteen thousand!” 

Jesus, she nearly lost it at that. It went up from there, were her pheromones really that strong! 'Twenty one' man shouted, 'thirty' another, and so one, she didn't hear most of it, she just looked out at the crowd and suddenly saw a face. A man with an impeccable suit and manicured goatee, he just kept staring at her and she couldn't help but stare back at him, just waiting for the end, soon she just closed her eyes and clenched her shaking hands into fists... and then heard a man shout $300,000!

Looking up she saw a man she thought she recognized, hammer something or another. The call seemed to stay the bids for a moment when suddenly she heard “5 Million.” 

Everyone went still and turned to the voice, and there it was, the man with the goatee, Tony Stark if she remembered now, from the science exhibit!

He gave the crowd a cursory smug glance and then headed to Natasha, “What?, don't think I'm good for it?”

Natasha smirked, “No, Mr. Stark, I'm counting on it.” 

He smirked, before taking off his jacket and putting it around Stephanie's shoulders

“Do I need to sign anything?” he asked cheekily, Natasha merely handed him a pad which he placed his thumb print and soon he was ushering her out of the building to his personal limo. 

Before they arrived someone from Natasha's team handed her a small bag and assured both of them that it was merely a courtesy bag given in all contracts. She had some idea what that would included and ducked her head blushing furiously. 

Stephanie was in a daze, she just followed the man to the parking garage where his driver, who clearly had no idea was was going on quickly opened the door when they approached. 

“Thanks Happy” The man said before gesturing for her to go in first. She did her best to get in as gracefully as she could, but the man, Tony, just seemed to move with his own grace darn it. 

Five Million and she could barely move gracefully, he was certainly going to ask for a refund, if this wasn't already some sort of joke.

Sitting in she hastily put on her seat belt always vigilant about that after well....

Soon the driver was pulling away and Mr Stark still hadn't put on his, it irked her but she wasn't exactly his boss....still, “You should put on your seat belt Mr. Stark.” 

He gave her an ironic look but smiled nonetheless and put his seat belt on, she smiled. For some reason that seemed to make him happy.

“Are you a safety nut?” he asked

Stephanie just blushed, “J-just about certain things.” 

The drive was a bit awkward, Stephanie doubted that the man had planned on anything like this happening, and she really had had only a couple hours to get used to the reality of it all herself, after all she had two weeks to change her mind but it didn't really hit her until she was actually doing it. 

After a few minutes she saw the driver giving her very awkward looks and Mr. Stark was squirming a bit in his seat, suddenly it dawned on her, “I'm sorry, is it too much?”

He just stared at her in bewilderment, “No, I think you might be priceless.” 

Shocked she nearly lost it at the look in his eyes, stuttering, “N-no, not that, no well I mean it is too much, I mean like crazy too much!” But she shut up at the incredibly intense look in his eyes, “I mean am I making you uncomfortable.” and she jabbed her thumb at one of her pulse points in her neck.

She couldn't believe it, Tony Stark could blush. Taking that as a yes she opened the bag Natasha's people gave her and rifled through, surprisingly beside sex stuff she found her cell phone and the wrist-let she used to carry her blockers, and inside of it was even some of her beta perfume, she suspected Darcy had something to do with that. 

Pulling out the tube she quickly rubbed it on her neck and wrists and opened the window. They were meant to act quickly and soon she could see the man composing himself somewhat. And the driver, “Happy”, stopped making such sharp turns. 

Stephanie had to give the man credit, she had half expected to be jumped in the back seat of the car.

Luckily he didn't seem to live too far away, it was maybe only half an hour before the driver pulled up to ...wherever. 

When they arrived she did her best to get out of the car gracefully, it worked out alright! Getting out of the car she saw a large modern mansion. It was dark, but she could tell that it was built on a cliff side. She could smell the salt of the sea in the air. 

Tony guided her into the house and Happy drove off. Walking in she wondered if she was supposed to take off her shoes. Not knowing one way or another she toed off her stilettos and pulled off Tony's jacket. 

Absently folding Tony's jacket she just stared into the living room. Tony just went with the flow, he waltzed in and sat in the nearest couch. The fountain was probably a bit much for her he wondered. Tony just patted the cushion next to him and she sat. 

Unconsciously she leaned back on him and closed her eyes, lord he smelled so good. She always knew that both alphas and betas thought omegas had an amazing scent. But for Omegas, alphas, especially the right ones, smelled divine. 

Tony really wanted to make love to her, but he didn't want to rush things. “Stephanie?”

She looked at him, tired but willing, god it nearly killed him, “I'm sure you are tired, my bedroom is up that way.” He pointed in the right direction. 

“I'll sleep in the guest bedroom, the view from my room is best, I uh, I don't want to rush things between us.” 

At that he directed her up the stairs and he himself ran off to the other side of the house. She was tired, but had no idea what to think! Too tired to think too much on it she followed his direction and found his room and passed out.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning she groaned a little, pressing her face into the pillow, then she heard, “Good Morning Ms. Rogers.” Yanking her head up she saw the light go on and the view from the windows went from black to the pacific ocean! 

God, where the hell was she! She got up and soon it all came back. Crawling out of bed she found the bathroom. She showered and found a spare toothbrush thank goodness, she also found a old but soft flannel robe. 

Walking downstairs she smelled something cooking. Coming into the kitchen she found Tony flipping pancakes. For whatever reason she found it incredibly cute. Smiling she found herself sitting down on a stool at the kitchen counter.

Tony just looked at her and she smiled at him, “Good morning Mr. Stark”

'TONY' he responded, “Tony” she said. He placed a plate of pancakes in front of her and she gladly ate them. Thankfully he also sat next to her and ate as well. 

After eating she looked around a bit, “You have a lovely home.” He just grunted in acknowledgment. 

Grabbing her plate and his own he came back and asked, “How about a walk on the beach?” 

That sounded great, she just nodded. He looked relieved and she dressed into a bathing suit and cover up that thankfully fit her and followed him on the rather long path to the beach on his property. 

There was a gazebo on the beach with two very comfortable looking lounge chairs, towels, and even a large cooler full of drinks and snacks. Tony helped her with her sunblock. He laughed a little when he saw her dollop it on... everywhere. Not a tanner huh? She smiled at him, “nope I don't tan I burn!” 

He massaged lotion on her back and shoulders and it felt great. She was surprised at how relaxed she was around him. She made him put some on, despite his naturally golden brown skin, well she just went and put in on him herself, she muttered something about skin cancer even rubbing lotion on his ears, and then ran off into the water. She loved to swim and the water felt great ! Tony wasn't far behind and soon they were both laughing and treading the water until exhausted. Afterward they relaxed in the gazebo eating sandwiches and chilled fruit. Tony got a phone call and was busy talking business and she just watched him. She liked the sound of his voice. Relaxing back into the chair she thought that this was a nice start to the month. She wondered if it would last. 

At one point she found herself soaked from a stray wave and the two of them were giggling as she was pulled in to lay back under the gazebo, for the first time ever she found herself thoroughly kissed. Stephanie had no idea what to do but go along with it, and it felt amazing. 

The next day she got up first and put together breakfast, she was still wearing Tony's old robe, but loved it. It smelled like him, and while people told her that she smelled good, she only really smelled flowers or fresh baked cookies, it didn't seem that amazing to her, but Tony. His scent was all spicy sandalwood and something else she couldn't quite pin point. 

Tony had to go to work, so she mostly just explored. She scrounged up something to wear, there were some woman's clothing in Tony's closet, she guessed from previous 'visitors.' Most of it didn't fit her, she wasn't anorexic like so many LA girls. She had curves and a bust. Not too big or anything but she tried on one shirt and her breasts were obscenely tight under it. 

So she just pulled on one of Tony's t-shirts and pajama bottoms. Tony had introduced her to Jarvis the day before, he gave her a message, “Sir regrets to inform you that he will be rather late tonight and that you do not need to wait up for him.”

She frowned at that, “Ok, thank him for letting me know.”

The next day she lost her virginity. It just happened, and she had no regrets at all. She woke up, laying in the amazing bed with the amazing view. Tony had one again made breakfast, omelets, once again she was wearing his clothing. 

Tony had come up to her and said, “I need to buy you some clothes.” And she just blurted out, “I don't need you buy me anything!” 

Tony looked surprised and bit hurt.

“I uh, sorry, I just don't want to be a bother. I could just go home and pick up some clothes.” 

For whatever reason that seemed to bother Tony. When she had spoken Tony's eyes turned dark. “I want to give you want you need Stephanie.”

For whatever reason that just set her off, “I...t-thanks Tony.” 

“Steph...” he muttered before coming forward and kissing her deeply. She just blushed and melted...melting like one of those swooning women in the romance novels she surreptitiously read, hidden under her bed. 

Tony just went with it, but he stopped before it went too far. 

Rubbing the back of his head, “I have to go over contracts with my PA today, but later would you like to watch some movies?” That sounded really nice, “Sure Tony, sounds nice.” He kissed her again and then Happy arrived to take him to the 'office.' 

In the meanwhile she did her best to come up with finger foods that would be easy to eat while watching movies on Tony's huge screen TV. 

When Tony came home he just smiled at the set up and said he'd be back in a few minutes. He came back freshly washed and in pajamas as well. They settled down and with a bit of a flourish Tony presented the original Star Wars trilogy, unedited, unaltered, the original! She had mentioned the other day at the beach when they were discussing small topics how annoyed she was that you couldn't get the original movies on DVD, just the 'updated' ones with the added special effects. She literally squealed, “Oh my God! I though it didn't exist on DVD!”

Tony just laughed, “Not even DVD, Blue Ray!” 

She honest to God stroked the blue ray set, “How?”

“I know people”, he smiled, putting on the the first movie. He thought she would like it, but he handed it to her like it had been a several thousand bottle of champagne and she loved it, it was adorable, a woman who preferred Star Wars to diamonds and Cristal. 

It started off innocent enough with them sitting near each other. By the second movie she was cuddled against him, but the time the Ewoks showed up they were making out. But this time Tony didn't stop, he had her laid down on the couch and he pulled away the robe, underneath Metallica t-shirt and a pair of his pajama bottoms. 

Why he found that hot, he'd never know, but he started to pull them off. Stephanie froze a little, she didn't have any panties on underneath, but then she just nuzzled at his neck as he managed to work the pants off, still kissing her. 

Still wearing his robe and old t-shirt he made his way down and before she knew what he was doing he was kissing her in the most unholy way humanly possible and he literally had to hold her down to keep her from jerking away in shock. 

“Shhhh” Was all he said before going back to what he'd been doing. She just had no idea, she'd read romance novels, she knew what he was doing, but had no clue it'd feel so good and she could barely control herself. She gasped and cried out, “Tony! Oh my God!” She just kept calling out to Tony and the Lord Almighty until she felt herself come, and it was fucking amazing. 

Panting and crying a little she laid there as Tony readjusted her legs and pulled the robe around her. She stared at him and said the first thing that came to mind, “Are you sure I shouldn't be paying you?”

He burst out laughing and then carefully picked her up and carried her to the bedroom, good thing she wasn't sure she could walk. Once there he stripped off both their clothes and spent the next hour or two making love to her. It hurt at first, but she was already so relaxed it wasn't too painful, and he clearly knew what he was doing. 

Finally Tony pulled out of her and gathered her to his side kissing her neck, she fell asleep after that. When she woke a few hours later, Tony was still plastered to her side. 

The next morning he was still cuddling against her... it was super cute. She didn't want to move, but she had to pee so she wiggled out of his grasp and headed to the bathroom. 

She figured she might as well shower while she was at it and afterward brushed her teeth and so forth. When she entered the bedroom Tony was gone, in his place were nearly two dozen shopping and garment bags. All filled to the brim with designer clothing. 

Stephanie had no idea what to think. There were shirts, pants, dresses, skirts, panties, bras, shoes, lingerie, socks, bathing suits, pajamas, formal gowns, you name it! She was only going to be with him for a month, why did he buy so much?!? 

Fishing out an outfit she got up and found her way to the living room where she found an odd sort of argument going on. 

“Tony, what the hell is this bill for five million dollars and who or what is Romanoff Incorporated? And why did I just deliver ten thousand dollars worth of woman's clothing here?!?” 

Ten thousand, she nearly fainted hearing that, Jesus she knew the man was rich, but really!

Coughing a little she let her presence known. 

Pepper Potts took one look at the beautiful blonde blue eyed omega who just entered the room and had at least an almost certain idea as to what was going on. Pepper was an alpha, just like Tony. They worked well together but often butted heads. Pepper could smell it in the air, that nearly irresistible omega scent, and sex. She really hoped that Tony hadn't just paid five millions dollars just to have sex with an admittedly amazing scented omega, but then again it was his money to do with whatever he wanted. 

Pepper just handed Tony several contracts, “I need these signed and delivered please!” Tony nodded and Pepper left.

Stephanie just turned to Tony, “Did you really spend ten thousand dollars on clothes for me?” 

The way she looked at him he actually felt a bit guilty, “I didn't ask for the price, I just made an order!” 

She took pity on the poor man, “I...uh, well thank you, but normally I shop the clearance racks!” 

They both laughed, though Tony knew that she was serious about that, but he wanted her to have the 'best'.


	5. chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for socializing.

Tony spent the day tinkering in his workshop, she knew not to bother him there, she was warned when she first arrived by Jarvis that it wasn't necessarily safe to go down there. She made dinner for the two of them. Chicken Marsala, Tony seemed to enjoy it, the recipe usually went well for her. Then they were in bed together and Tony made love to her. It was...amazing, she had no idea that it could be like this. He did things she had never even thought of before and she was practically unconscious when he was finally done. 

The days past blissfully, they spent as much time together as Tony's work schedule allowed and she tried to do her best to earn her four million dollars, seeing as Natasha would be getting her twenty percent. It was still more money than she could have hoped for. She'd be able to get Bucky a new arm and maybe even some of the other men and woman at the hospital. 

She had started texting Darcy the day after she arrived, she didn't have the nerve to speak to her one on one. Darcy asked the obvious questions in her less than tactful ways that was just so her, “Has he fucked you yet?” “Are you pregnant?” “Have you had him sign over his company yet with your feminine wiles?”

Stephanie dealt with it, Darcy was an acquired taste, but once you had it, it was almost addictive. 

As for Bucky, he was another story altogether, he barely responded to her. She had told him that she was found a job on a month long cruise and that she should earn a lot in tips, she had played it up like it was a great thing for both of them, but he had barely listened. Even now, he just said, “Hi” or “Ok”, or just “Bye” every time she tried to text or even talk to him! 

She couldn't help but worry about him, she adjusted the dress she had just slipped into. Pepper had come earlier to help her with her hair and makeup, Tony was taking her with him to some sort of formal event. He assured her that she'd be fine, she hated the idea of embarrassing him. Pepper gave her some pointers as well.

 

She put on the jewelry Tony had laid out, saying that it had been his mother's. That made her even more nervous, what if she lost a piece!

She was wearing a beautiful peach colored gown with shoulder straps that flowed down and accentuated her waist and bust. The jewelry was clearly worth hundreds of thousands it had to be an heirloom, the necklace was made of smaller diamonds linked together on a chain with a slightly larger diamond in the middle that had a very large pear shaped diamond droplet attached to it. The large diamond settled heavily on her clavicle, the set included two droplet diamond earrings and even a matching bracelet. 

Looking down at her shoes she wondered if they were worth more than she made in a month...probably. Thank god Darcy had given her lessons on walking in high heels. Darcy had to work in stilettos so she was an expert. 

 

Tony knocked lightly on the door and walked in wearing a tux, he looked amazing. He stared at her, she nervously fiddled, “Do I look okay?”

He laughed a little, “Does she look okay the vision asks? You look like every man's dream Stephanie.” 

She blushed, “You look very handsome yourself.”

Smiling he offered her his arm and off they went. Happy was ready with the car, even his attire was a bit more formal than normal, she wondered where the hell they were going.

The drive was quiet, they spoke a bit, but Tony still refused to say much of anything. Finally they arrived at their destination, it was a concert hall, the Disney concert hall! There were cameras and press and she was suddenly terrified, but what were the odds anyone would recognize her. Neither James or Darcy would probably notice something like this.

Tony got out first, telling her to wait. He walked over and Happy opened her door and he gave her his arm and assisted her out of the car. Thank God because she probably would have fallen on her ass if he hadn't. 

She did her best to smile brightly and walk gracefully down the red carpet as Tony fielded questions and they posed for photos. The press obviously thought that she was just some call girl, or professional companion for such events because they didn't ask her a single question, thank god!

The concert was amazing and afterward there was a party with many important dignitaries, and sadly also some press. Who she managed not to having anything to do with...that is except for one woman, fake blonde hair, brown eyes, and annoying jutting chin, she came right up to Stephanie, “Nice diamonds, on loan?” She just stared at her, “What?” 

“Oh, I should clarify, I was complimenting the diamonds and was asking if you were on loan?” 

Stephanie was mortified, “I am going away now, good day.” The woman tried to pester further but she just said forcefully, “I said GOOD DAY!” 

Tony wasn't far away and seemed to have caught a bit of Stephanie's raised voice. He saw the other woman and gave her a dark look, thankfully she left quickly and Tony came to escort Stephanie around the room. 

“Did she bother you?”

“No, why, an ex of yours?” Tony laughed, “No, not really!”

He took her arm in his and introduced her to the...f'ing President of the United States! She nearly fainted, but managed a graceful, “Good evening Mr. President.” 

He looked down at her, “Good evening, did you enjoy the concert Miss?...” 

“Stephanie Rogers, Sir, and yes, thank you.” 

The man smiled, it was hard for most alphas not to smile with admiration at omegas, but she noticed that he was quite diplomatic and graceful. 

She wished that she had the strength and diplomacy to attack the man to his face that men like her brother and other veterans didn't receive the care they deserved, but she wasn't here for herself, she was here for Tony. The next man Tony turned her towards was a tall African-American man with blue eyes. She saw the insignia on his Air Force uniform and actually recognized him, before Tony could introduce them she held out her hand, “Colonel James Rhodes, my name is Stephanie Rogers.”

He smiled a bit in surprise, but took her hand, pleased at the firm grip, “Pleasure to meet you Stephanie.” 

Someone called to Tony and he asked Colonel Rhodes to look after her in the meantime. The man was very charming and offered her his arm and asked if she'd like anything to drink. She just smiled and followed him to the bar. He ordered her a glass of champagne and himself a scotch on the rocks. 

Turning to her when the drinks arrived he asked, “How did you meet Tony?” She frowned a bit, but said, “We met at a club, I was new to the place, I think Tony was too. He stopped a creepy guy from trying to take me home with him.” It wasn't untrue, she was just paraphrasing what had happened. 

Colonel Rhodes gave her a sardonic smile, “look before Tony gets back and thinks I'm trying to hit on you...” He handed her a card, “Being with Tony isn't easy, so if you need anything...call me.” She smiled and tucked his card into the clutch she carried. 

Someone caught his attention and she stood at the bar just sipping her champagne when someone she really hadn't expected to see came up and ordered a drink.

It was Justin Hammer, of course he remembered her, she had no doubt why he'd come to the bar and why he'd waited for the Colonel to be distracted!

He gave his order and then turned to her, “Well hello there, you look well.” 

She just gave him a grimace, “Hello...Mr?”

“Justin Hammer, I'd have hoped for the two of us to much more familiar by now; maybe when you done with Stark we can arrange something. I'm afraid that I care too much about my company and employees to spend too much money on myself, but I think we could work things out.” 

She gave him a dark look, he both implied that Tony had wasted his money on her and was frivolous in doing so and kinda implied that she was cheap. She supposed it was true that Tony spent too much, but that didn't make him okay to put it that way, she remembered Natasha telling her to understand how much she was worth. Plus despite what he thought she wasn't a prostitute and refused to be treated like one, like her mother.

Clearing up the look on her face she gave him a bright smile and said, “I'm not for sale”, before tossing her champagne in his face, turning she saw the Colonel looking at her surprised. She just took his arm and he took the hint and walked them away. 

“What did he say to you?!?” Rhodes asked, he sounded angry.

She just grimaced, “he assumed that I was for sale.” 

His grip on her arm tightened, she could tell that he was a good guy and a true friend to Tony. 

The night seemed to take forever and her face began to ache from the fake smiles. Finally they got into the car and headed back 'home'. Tony seemed tired himself, and just played on his phone as she rested her eyes. 

When they got back she tossed off her stilettos first and foremost. “Sorry Tony, I'm sure they were expensive, but feet weren't meant to stay like that for long!”

Tony laughed, it was genuine and exuberant, “Dear Lord, my mother said something like that once, the trials that woman go through!” 

He just kissed her on the cheek, “Sorry love.” 

She blushed, “Don't be, I can wear heels, I just don't like them!” 

He just followed her to the bedroom and helped her out of the dress and there was nothing left but panties and the jewels. She went to take off the jewelry but he stopped her. She was standing mostly naked covered in nothing but diamonds and he found it sexy as hell, maybe not as sexy as being in a Metallica t-shirt watching Star Wars, but still really sexy. 

That night sex was pretty amazing, and when she woke she was still wearing diamonds. Thankfully they were still all there! She made sure to examine everything before putting it all back in the holders they'd been in when Tony gave them to her.


	6. Sixth chapter

That morning she realized that she only had two weeks left with Tony, it made her sad. She really liked being with him. But they never talked about the auction and the fact that he bought her really, she didn't know the protocol, if he'd even want to see her outside of what he had paid for. Natasha had warned her not to get too close, or assume too much. 

Sighing she was sitting in the bedroom folding clothes when her cell phone started to ring, she grabbed it quickly, she usually kept it on vibrate, as she really wasn't supposed to be getting calls! Looking at the number she saw that it was VA hospital Bucky was living in. Quickly she answered, “Hello?

“Ms. Rogers?”

“Yes that's me.”

“I'm sorry to trouble you but I am calling about your brother James...he's..there has been an incident.”

She listened white faced as the woman on the phone described how her brother tried to take his own life. He found something sharp and tried to slit his one and only good wrist and was currently on suicide watch. She sat frozen, once the woman was done she thanked her and promised that some one would be there to see him soon. 

But Jesus who, she couldn't leave, she was supposed to stay with Tony nearly another two weeks! Panicking she called Darcy. 

She waited listening to the dial tone, it was possible that Darcy wouldn't even answer her, their last conversation hadn't gone that well after all. But finally right before it was going to voice mail she finally answered in a tired voice, “What up bae?”

Why that would cause her to break down and start crying hysterically was beyond her but when the blood finally stopped roaring in her ears and she could actually hear Darcy desperately trying to calm her down and find out what the hell was going on.

“Steph, Steph! Calm down, what's happened, did Tony do something?!!? I'll kill him!”

Stephanie managed to get a hold of herself while listening to the a rather descriptive list of the many bizarre ways to kill someone. “....with a bucket of acid and...”

“Darcy!” She stopped and waited while Stephanie took long shuddering breaths, “It's Bucky, h-he tried to kill himself.”

There was a pregnant pause, “What?” Darcy said it in a dead sort of way. 

“I can't leave, I need you to go see him, the nurse said that he won't talk to anyone, I...I need you to go and just get him to snap out of it! You're good at that, you are stronger than me, I just, I just need your help.”

She could practically hear the gears going in Darcy's head, “Stephanie, you know you need to come home right?” 

“Bucky thinks I'm working a cruise ship, how can I explain that to him, it's not that I don't want to go, but if I do, I mean what the hell will I tell Tony?”

“I don't know Steph, how about the truth?”

Sadly Tony had managed to walk by and hear only the last bit of the conversation. Bucky thinks I'm working a cruise ship, how can I explain that to him, it's not that I don't want to go, but if I do, I mean what the hell will I tell Tony? 

He stepped away, not wanting Stephanie to know he had overheard her conversation, but it did bother him. She'd told someone named Bucky that she'd gone away to work a cruise ship? She was hiding her contract from someone obviously important to her...why? 

Darcy walked into the VA hospital, went to the receptionist, got Bucky's room number and explained who she was. Walking through the halls she greeted people as she went, “Hey there buddy great tattoo!” She stopped to admire it, she grinned at another, older man who was missing his right leg and winked at him. They both laughed, it was nice to be treated normally. 

Walking with purpose she entered Bucky's room and saw a most pathetic looking man. His hair too long and greasy hanging down his face, blank eyes staring at the wall. He was no longer confined to bed but he was sitting in a wheelchair, looking like some comatose mental patient. She walked right up to him, “I have a message from Stephanie.” He turned towards her and she slapped him hard across the face. 

That woke him up, “Ow, Darcy what the fuck!?!” 

“That’s for being so goddamn selfish!” 

He stared at her, she continued, “Stephanie is worried sick about you, working her ass off so she can get you a proper prosthetic limb, and all you want to do is sit and stare at walls! It's just an arm Bucky, it's not like your dick blew off!” 

Bucky blushed, he had no idea what to say, it was true, he thought he was doing everyone a favor, but all he could think about was his own pain.

Suddenly Darcy remembered something, a video she had taken of Bucky and Stephanie. When Bucky would come back from duty, he'd just crash on the pull out couch. Darcy had become Stephanie's roommate during one of Bucky's tours and he lost his room, but he was never home for long. 

She got along with both of them so it wasn't a problem, the video she had taken was during one of Stephanie's heats which for some sick reason she found hilarious. Why, probably because betas never got as moody and needy as omegas. Bucky was cuddling Stephanie on the couch singing lightly to her and Stephanie had an odd faraway look in her eyes. 

Darcy spoke in the background, “You really have the best brother in the world Steph.” And she had meant it, James was amazing, she'd give anything to have a guy like him in her life....and maybe she'd do something to gain that right now!

“Come on!” Darcy pulled Bucky up and out of his chair.

“W-what are you doing?” Bucky gasped. 

She just glared at him, “I'm getting you out of here, you are not a fucking cripple or charity case, you don't belong here you belong at home!” 

Bucky looked like he wanted to protest, but had no idea why, then she decided to sweeten the deal. 

“James Buchanan Barnes, if you come home with me right now I will make love to you like no woman has before.”

He stared at her in shock and then laughed, “I, uh, what man can resist an offer like that?!?” 

“Not many!” Darcy exclaimed, pulling him away, still only wearing pajamas, slippers, and a robe, her car outside. She ignored the nurses and got him home. Bucky seemed in a daze, when they finally arrived, he just sat on the couch and laughed, “Thanks Darcy, I needed that.”

“What?” She asked.

“Just a dose of you!” he smiled at her, looking human for once. 

She just huffed, “I'm not done giving you a dose of me!” 

James looked at her in surprise suddenly bashful, he had no idea that she had been serious but she had and didn't like it when people didn't take her seriously when she meant it. She did exactly as she promised and dammit if it hadn't been amazing for both of them...and the next day she got him a hair cut! 

When Darcy finally messaged Stephanie that she had gone to see Bucky and had brought him home to the apartment she'd found that she was a complete and horribly guilty wreck from waiting. She shouldn't have waited she should have just gone straight to him. Trying to think she came up with the idea of just asking Tony if she could go to her apartment and visit her 'sick' roommate. 

Then that evening, she sat down at dinner with Tony and he gave her a strange look and said, “Stephanie, I need to go away for a few days, you don't have to be here by yourself while I'm gone. You can go home and Happy will bring you back.” 

She looked at him a bit shocked, “I uh, ok, I mean I can stay here if you want me too!” 

Tony shrugged, “No point in you being alone, you have a roommate right, Darcy?” She had mentioned Darcy several times, in fact the woman was such an integral part to many of the anecdotes that made Tony laugh that he practically knew her.

Steph had no idea what to say, “I, thanks Tony”, it was a nice gesture, she supposed, though odd and it put her on edge. 

Happy drove Stephanie to the address she gave him and then drove off, but it wasn't her home, she waited for him to leave before walking the block to her and Darcy's apartment. Walking in with the entry code she knocked on the apartment door. Hearing a muffled thunk and curse she wondered what to think when Darcy opened the door wearing only black lacy panties and one of Bucky's Army T-Shirts. 

Steph just stared blankly, “Huh, why aren't you dressed.........” 

Then she saw Bucky, he just had a towel around his waist, “I uh, maybe I should go!” She said trying to high tail it out of there, but Darcy stopped her. 

“Hey, did you get back early!?!” 

Stephanie thought up a lie and thought it up quick, “Salmonella! They had to turn back early! But I still have a lot of work on the docked ship to do, another week really!” 

Darcy got it, even though Bucky had no clue, but he was happy to see her. He quickly got dressed and they hugged and Stephanie yelled at him a little, but she didn't have the heart to be mad at him for long. 

He took a deep smell of her when he hugged her, her scent had changed. 

“Steph, did you...I mean on the cruise did you...”

Darcy interrupted, “He wants to know if you got laid!” 

Both Stephanie and Bucky blushed hard and screeched, “Darcy!” 

Stephanie wanted to be shocked but, “I met a nice guy on the ship Bucky, another employee, we uh, well we....”

Bucky stopped her, “It's ok, you don't have to give me all the gory details, but are you ok?”  
She shrugged, “Yeah, I mean it was a one time thing really, but like I said, he was nice.”

He did his best to let that go and they talked, he seemed much better, she only spent the night the two seemed to want to be alone. So she called Happy and he brought her back to Tony's home the next afternoon. She didn't care if she was alone, she texted her friend and brother and tried to think of a good way to make the last week with Tony count. She knew now that she loved him, but would never burden him with that knowledge, but maybe she could do something nice for him!?! She hadn't seen that Happy was watching when Bucky walked her out and waved goodbye to her. It would have helped if she had.   
She looked forward to Tony returning but when he did he was surprisingly aloof and spent most of his time in his workshop avoiding her. She didn't understand what she had done wrong! She thought that she could try to show him her appreciation if nothing else, the man paid five million dollars and she had only had sex with him...well a lot, but she wished she had more time now that the month was coming to a close. Cooked more meals, gave him more massages, tried to get him to laugh more...whatever! 

The last night she was due to stay in the manor he was still in his workshop...she broke the cardinal rule and went downstairs asking Jarvis if she could come in. Jarvis did, she walked in wearing only white lacy panties and a Metallica t-shirt. Tony was busy working on an engine when she entered, but turned and looked at her in disbelief. 

He laughed a little and put down his tools, “All those clothes I got you and you keep stealing mine.” 

The significance wasn't lost on him though, it was the same shirt she'd been wearing when he first made love to her. 

She just looked about nervously, she saw a couch, there were a few old couch pillows on it, she took one. 

“Last night Tony, I was hoping to do something nice for you seeing as you've been so nice to me.” 

He really didn't know what to say to that, God knows what she thought she'd be getting into that night at the Romanoff Club. 

He sat frozen and silent as she approached him and dropped the pillow on the floor at his feet. He looked at her confused. She just smiled nervously and knelt on the pillow grabbing his waist, oh....ohhhh!!! 

Tony kind of wanted to stop whatever she thought she was doing, he actually gasped a little, she just rubbed her hands along his thighs, “Relax Tony, I want this to be all about you.”

She thought about everything Darcy had told her about oral sex and did her best. According to the sounds Tony was making she was doing something right, she tried to pay attention and focus on what made him the most vocal. 

By the end he just kept saying 'fuck' over and over again and grasping her hair hard. Then he came she swallowed, finding there really wasn't a choice. Coughing a little she wiped at her face and then looked at Tony. His head was back and he had a glazed look in his eyes. 

She just helped him put himself back together and nearly laughed at how hard it was for him to stand straight, must be like what he had done to her so many times over leaving her jelly legged. 

“Who the hell taught you that?” He asked. But then together they both said, “Darcy!”

They both laughed at that, he was still holding onto her for balance.

“Tony, I uh, thought maybe for old times sake, I could keep the shirt”, she tried to joke. He just groaned a little, “Keep it, it's yours!” 

He walked her upstairs and they settled into bed, and despite what she had just done to him he found that he was able to make love to her. It was almost desperate and she ended up bonding with him, but thank god he didn't notice, because when she woke up the next morning he was gone. 

When she woke up in Tony's bed Pepper was already there. She got up and washed and changed quickly. Pepper tried to tell her that Tony wanted her to have the clothes he purchased for her and also gave Stephanie a business card with a phone number on it, Pepper explained, “Tony asked that if you ever need anything just call him.” 

Stephanie didn't pick up on the tone in Pepper's voice, which was almost desperate. She knew that Tony loved Stephanie, but he didn't want to fight another Alpha over Stephanie's heart, especially since it was quite apparent that Stephanie had only done this to help the one armed man. He'd looked into the man to find that he has only just attempted suicide, it wasn't too hard to hack into the hospital records. It didn't seem like he knew what Stephanie had been up to, but it was clear why she had wanted the money so badly. 

But all Stephanie heard from Pepper was sympathy over Tony's rejection, a man who had gotten what he had paid for, the message seemed clear, she went home, she didn't want to bring anything with her, but Pepper sent over all the clothes Tony had purchased. She was annoyed, a lot still had tags on it and could have been returned! 

The next day she went to Natasha's office, the woman still had her purse in safekeeping. When she arrived the woman was busy in her office, she quickly sat her down and signed her over the check. 

“Thank you Stephanie for the business, you are officially the highest bid I've ever had, but I won't be doing anything like that again..” 

Stephanie just gave her a startled look, “What?” 

Natasha gave a sympathetic smile, “Omega's are precious to us alphas, I just saw dollar signs, but you could have been seriously hurt. Believe it or not, I did worry about you.”

She had no idea what to say, “Thanks..I think.” 

Taking her check and her handbag she left quickly, she didn't really want have anything more to do with the place or it's proprietor.


	7. chapter seven bucky meets tony

She spent the next few weeks meeting with accountants, surgeons, and Dr. Sam Wilson from the VA hospital. She had no idea what would entail Bucky getting the prosthetic, or if it was really even possible. Clint's arm had been experimental at best.

Sam contacted Stark Industries directly to get the ball rolling. 

Sitting at his desk he waited on the phone as he was shifted from one department to the next, sighing a bit he wondered if this could be done; but he'd hate to disappoint Stephanie. Finally he got someone... “Stark.” The voice said. Sam rolled his eyes, “My name is Dr. Sam Wilson, I've been transferred or put on hold for an hour I'm trying to get a hold of someone to talk about Stark tech prosthetic limbs! 

The man on the line seemed surprised but continued, “Sorry about that what can I help you with?”

Sighing in relief, we have a donor with four million dollars who wants to help a number of veterans gain new limbs, she wants Stark Tech, so I was hoping to get in contact with someone on your end and get the ball rolling.

The man on the other line hesitated for only a moment, “Okay, can I meet with you soon?” 

Sam just went with it, “Sure, asap, when can I see you?” The man on the phone said, “I'll come to you tomorrow, 11am?” 

“Sure! Thank you so much Mr....”

“Mr. Stark, Dr. Sam Wilson.”

He hung up then and Sam was terrified that he had massively fucked up. 

The next day Tony Stark in the flesh came to Sam's office, and he was flabbergasted...but Tony didn't allow it to last. “Hi Dr. Wilson, thanks for seeing me.”

Men like Sam did so much more than he did, so he hated it when they acted like he was some sort of superstar when all he was was a weapons baron. 

Sam stood up and shook his hand, “Call me Sam and thank you for coming.”

He sat down, “So someone wants stark tech limbs?” 

Sam nodded, “Yes, the main candidate is James Buchanan Barnes, but there are others who we would like to help depending on the cost of the limbs of course.”

Tony Stark just smiled, “I would prefer to go case by case if you don't mind, there is a lot of fine tuned detail involved. We'll start with this...James?” 

Sam nodded, of course he was the main focus, “do you need to meet him or anything?” 

Tony just gave him a closed look and handed him a card, “All the relevant information can be sent to this email, we will need to do quite a number of tests and procedures, please let James know that this is going to be quite the process. If he comes in I can describe it to him. 

Sam smiled, “Thank you so much Mr. Stark!”

Tony smiled, “Call me Tony, I think we'll be seeing a lot of each other from now on.” 

Stephanie had gone back to being a waitress, but she didn't wear the beta scent anymore, just the normal blockers; she was tired of hiding, though she did try that grey mist stuff Clint had recommended, and she really liked it. She walked into the apartment tired, but happy that she'd made good money in tips. 

Walking in she saw Bucky and Darcy in what appeared to be a deep conversation. Looking confused she asked, “Is anything wrong?”

“NO! Sam called, he said that the hospital received a large donation and Bucky is one of several nominations to receive a Stark Tech prosthetic!” 

Stephanie thought that it odd that Darcy said all of this in an angered tone, “That's good right?”

Bucky just sighed, “I don't need it.”

She nearly fell out from under her feet... “You don't need it?” she asked in a small helpless voice.

Darcy looked at her with such a pained face, she knew that Darcy didn't care that Bucky was missing an arm, she didn't either, it's just that she thought Bucky did and after everything she did....

Sitting down next to her brother she tried to think, “We know that you are no less of a man without your left arm Bucky, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

“I know that, but there are other people in the hospital much worse off than me, it'd be a waste to spend that kind of money on an arm when someone could get their legs back instead!”

Darcy interjected, “You were chosen, obviously for a reason Bucky, maybe they want to make sure that it'll work and messing with spinal injuries could be serious. It's an arm, if something goes wrong or it doesn't work, you'll still be able to get by!”

Bucky was starting to think that he wasn't going to win this argument, “That's actually not the least bit comforting Darcy!” But he was smiling, he kind of loved it when she shocked him, and she was trying to manipulate that hero complex he had going on. 

She snuggled up to him, “At least go and meet with the Doctors, OK?” 

James sighed, “Ok babe, if it will make the two of you happy, I'll see them.”

He knew that they were happy that he'd gotten over his arm, the therapy was going well, he was getting out, he got a job through the VA at a mechanic shop. He knew a lot about cars, even learned mechanics in the army before becoming a sniper. He worked as the receptionist, it helped that he was versed in mechanics when people called in and tried to explain what was wrong with their car. 

The guy who owned the owned the place was a veteran himself so he was more than willing to work around Bucky's disability. 

James accepted that he could live without his arm, so he was a little annoyed at how persistent Darcy had been after he'd gotten the call, and the look on Stephanie's face when he'd said he didn't need the arm....she looked almost devastated! 

He agreed to go to Stark Industries and meet with the doctors, but that he preferred to go alone. 

James took a bus as far as he could and then walked the rest of the way he arrived at Stark Industries with time to spare. He walked in and found a receptionist, giving his name he was asked to sit. He sat for about ten minutes before he was called, “Mr. Barnes?”

A nice looking man in a white coat was there and gestured forward, “Please follow me.” Nervously getting up he followed the man. Darcy had dressed him, he was wearing normal jeans, a button down shirt with the left sleeve carefully pinned and his hair artfully arranged. Darcy loved arranging his hair! Short on the sides but tousled in between. 

They walked over to an isolated elevator and the man pushed a button for LL10, they started going down underground. To say that he was nervous was an understatement, he didn't think most people knew that Stark Industries had lower levels. He had a feeling that he was going to be exposed to some pretty cool shit!

Getting out the man, who had introduced himself as Dr. Thomas Walker, led Bucky down a maze of hallways, passing labs with all sorts of scientific equipment.

Finally they entered a large room full of medical equipment, robotics, and one Tony Stark! He came up to him and offered his hand, Bucky snapped out of it long enough to take it. 

“Nice to meet you Sargent Barnes, please sit.”

Bucky sat, “You can just call me James.” He wasn't really ready for these people to call him Bucky.

Tony smiled at him, “Okay James, well we'll have to take a look at you to figure out the best way to proceed. I can make the arm no problem, but the hard part is attaching it. There is a lot of sensitive work involved in grafting the prosthetic to your nerves and muscle. One of the first things we'd have to do is create a base plate that will be attached to the arm, it will start out metallic and later be covered with synthetic skin. Any questions so far?”

James tried to take it all in, “How many times have you done this?” Tony smiled, “Well my team and I have created many prosthetic limbs, but really we've only installed one on a person once.” He nodded to a man who had been sitting a bit away, “Human experimentation is illegal of course, and not many can afford this tech, Clint here was my test volunteer!” 

Clint came forward, James could smell that he was an omega, he didn't look like he had a prosthetic, “What sort of prosthetic does he have?”

Clint held out his arm, “Right here, looks real right? Feels real too, Stark is a genius!” 

James stared at the arm in amazement, he reached up to touch but then stopped himself, “Is it okay if I...”

Clint smiled, “Sure touch away!”

James placed his hand on his arm and marveled at how real it felt, it was even warm, “Wow....just wow.” 

“Very descriptive” Stark said with a bit of irony in his voice, but he was still smiling at him. He liked this man, he thought that he'd instantly hate him seeing as was Stephanie's alpha now, but he could tell that he was a good man who had been through a lot. 

“What do you think James, are you ready for this, it's not going to be easy or painless, but I think you'd make another good test case so we can iron out all the kinks”

He thought about it, about all the other people that could use it more but maybe Darcy was right, if they had only done this once before it'd been good practice, he thought he could handle being the guinea pig, “Yes Mr. Stark, I'd like to go for it.”

“Call me Tony, James. Now, how soon can you get started?”

“Right away Tony.” 

The man smiled and they started right away.


	8. honesty and confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky finds out about Darcy's side job.

It was a long process like he had said, with all sorts of scans, bloods tests, etc. During that time they got to know each other somewhat. James really liked the man, he almost wished he could introduce him to his sister but that seemed maybe too personal. Still he was tempted; he even mentioned to Stephanie that maybe she could come with him during one of the visits to Stark Industries but she just turned red and insisted that she was too busy. 

Maybe six months later the process was finally done and they were ready for the final surgery. He was nervous, they all were, even Mr. Stark! But he thanked the man and got himself ready. Tony left quickly, he wondered why, but then Darcy and Stephanie were soon there to kiss him and tell him that they'd be waiting for him to come out of surgery! 

Tony tried his best not to come into contact with Stephanie, but in the hospital he saw her as she waiting for the surgery to be over, as he was waiting for the coffee he ordered, he could have run but he really didn't want to. It's not like he did anything wrong after all!

She turned and saw him, the look on her face.......it was hard to describe. Surprise at first, then ...well hard to say what he thought it was longing maybe, but most importantly it wasn't panic! She came up to him, “Tony, why are you here? I hope you don't have an ill family member!” 

He shook his head, “No Ciara, I just have a patient my company created a new arm for, and I want to make sure all goes well.” 

She didn't try to pretend whether or not he knew why she was there, she just said, “Thank you Tony.” She wanted to hug him so badly but didn't know if she should. 

It was hard for him to say anything to that, he left soon after.

And soon after that he left with James Rhodes to Afghanistan to test out a new missile...only things didn't go exactly as planned. 

Stephanie was sound asleep when her soul mark began to burn like it was on fire! Waking up with a start she shouted out! Luckily Bucky wasn't home, neither was Darcy. She was working a late shift and Bucky was at a counselor's meeting. 

Later the next day after the two girls were watching the news coverage she said, “He's not dead!”

“Dammit Steph!” Darcy shouted, “He was blown up in the middle east! And even if he wasn't why are you so damned concerned!”

Stephanie finally pulled up her shirt, lowered her pants and showed her roommate her bond mark. 

For once Darcy was quiet, “I couldn't help it Darcy, I just love him so much, and I couldn't help myself at the time.” 

Darcy didn't speak, Steph knew he was alive and so she knew it as well, soul matches weren't to be trifled with. 

 

When Tony returned home, and finally home, not just the United States, Jarvis greeted him, he thanked Jarvis for his concern and told him to delete the over three thousand messages he'd received...but Jarvis did ask him, “Even those from Miss Stephanie?” 

Tony froze at that, didn't even know what to think, he wasn't even sure he could handle hearing her voice. “Don't delete them Jarvis...but don't play them right now.” 

“Tony are you sure about this!?!” Pepper yelled as he tried to get his suit ready.

“Yes Pepper I'm not an invalid! I can handle going out!” 

He cursed suddenly.

Tony had dropped a cuff link that he was trying to put on while talking to Pepper at the same time. Sighing he dropped to his knees and fished under the dresser, only the first thing he reached wasn't a cuff link...pulling it out he held a small sample size perfume bottle.

Even Pepper was silent at his sudden surprise at the object. He sprayed it and smelled...dear lord he smelled that woman from the expo...the one Clint tried to set him up with...Jesus, Steph...she was the same girl!

Pepper flinched away at the odd scent but Tony...dear lord he seemed lost in it, she wisely left.

Tony finally broke down and mourned the loss, twice over he could have had her and twice he lost her.

Thankfully no one was stupid enough to bother him for the next week as he tried to truly get over his heartbreak.

Darcy and Bucky had just helped Stephanie move into her own apartment, when Darcy had been forced to give a confession of sorts to her boyfriend. Now they weren't engaged but serious enough to be moving in together as they had to be what you call it when your boyfriend's sister has to move out so you can have loud sex together. 

Stephanie called it space when she said she was moving out, but Darcy knew she couldn't take listening to them in the bedroom anymore! Not with that broken heart of hers. 

But moving things around Bucky came across her wardrobe for when she worked at Romanoff's club. He pulled out a sleazy red number that revealed more than it hid, “Where the hell would you wear this?” He asked.

Darcy for once found herself speechless, but managed to say, “Well, you know when clubbing...”

James just asked, “I was there sometimes when you went out clubbing and you never wore anything like this!” 

Darcy wasn't sure she wanted to have this fight, “Look, what I do or wear when I'm working is my business ok!”

OHHHHHH that was the last thing to say.

James stood up fast and grabbed her arm before she could leave the room, “Darcy, what the fuck is going on!

Darcy wanted to say nothing but what could she do?

“Look, James, sometimes I work for Natasha Romanoff and serve drinks at exclusive events, I make great tips and all I have to do is dress like a whore and talk like one!”

James was angry of course, but just asked, “Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?”

“I, I ummm Jesus, it was, is my living Buck, Steph never looked down on me for it 'cause I never fucked any of them.”

He just looked frustrated.

“Its just that, I mean regular jobs don't pay as well.......”

Darcy was finding it hard not to cry. Stephanie always knew, that was why she took her in, her brother helped with the income so she didn't have to become as desperate as Darcy had used to be so many times to pay the bills....she could do what she did but not sleep with anyone. Stephanie was sensitive to anyone prostituting themselves, seeing as what her mother had gone through. 

Steph found her when she'd advertised for a roommate, the poor girl clearly was out of it in a drug induced haze. Instead of kicking her out she gave her water and held her tight until she'd come out of it. 

Afterward Steph said to her that she'd give her a home, if she wanted to try to clean up. Steph's brother was overseas and she had the room. Darcy rebelled at first and left, but came back the next day and asked if she would really help her. 

With Steph's help she cleaned up, but still the best work she could find was with Romanoff. But she hadn't touched a mind altering drug since!

“I had to get something else! I owed people money, the wrong kind of people, but that's all taken care of now, except, I just kept doing the work.”

James didn't know what to say and he felt that he wasn't getting all the details but he had to ask, “So you are still working for her?

“Yes.” 

“I don't want you to anymore.” Bucky said.

Darcy just sighed, “Okay.”

Bucky just rolled his eyes, “It can't be that simple, does she own you?”

Darcy scoffed, “No, I'm not that damn stupid!”

Shaking her head, “Buck, all I did was serve drinks and flirt, I never sold myself, not that anyone would pay much for me anyway!” 

Bucky just frowned at her tone and held her tight, “You are amazing Darcy, so many would want you, want to have you! Jesus!”

Darcy just sighed, “men say shit like that but......”

“No, no you aren't allowed to think you aren't every man's dream! Jesus, Darcy you are beautiful, but not just that, you are funny, confident, loving, you are perfect!” 

She didn't want to listen but he just kept saying sweet things until she broke down and cried, he held her and then thoroughly made love to his woman still saying sweet things and by the time he was done she finally understood how he felt about her. 

Waking up Darcy felt Bucky laying practically on top of her, she knew that she had to have him...but how???

Later listening to the radio she heard of a contest, the proposal video that gained the the most votes would result in an amazing honeymoon in the Bahamas! 

She began to plan! She gathered a team of conspirators, neighbors she'd befriended over the years were happy to help and the landlord even helped her find props. 

Leading Bucky to the small area behind their apartment building Darcy gave the craziest proposal ever, by the time it was done with whipped cream, trampoline, etc, she had managed what few ever could and once posted she eventually gained the most votes!

But most importantly, Bucky had said yes, she was thrilled, and they had the most amazing wedding! It was simple but sweet, Stephanie did her best to arrange the whole thing and the two went off to enjoy themselves on their honeymoon while Stephanie soon dealt with her heat back home.


	9. Stephanie and Tony reunite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A heat's a coming!

She gasped through another cramp and when it finally passed she tossed the now warm ice pack away from herself and struggled to stand. Padding to the fridge she opened it and realized just how pathetically under prepared for this she was. 

Normally Bucky sensed when her heat was approaching and had everything ready and waiting for her, just like he did with their mother....god, she didn't deserve him. Ice packs, chocolate, lots of sports drinks and ice pops...and GOD, emotion over took her and she started to cry, she had the best brother in the world and she really wanted to call him and tell him how much she loved him and then she stood back and literally slapped herself on the face.

Calm down stupid, you can do this!!!!!!

Out loud, “Ok, Steph, you're a big girl.” 

There was a store right outside the apartment building that catered to omegas, it was very convenient. Well, the building she lived in was actually meant for single omegas, so it made sense after all. Bucky insisted that she move in here when she said she wanted a place of her own so he could officially moved in with Darcy. 

It had extra security, solid locks and bullet proof windows, basically no unruly Alpha could ever break in and since Omegas tended to have issues with stalkers it was in theory the safest place for her to live alone, oddly when she applied the rent had been very reasonable but she hadn't lingered on that for too long. 

Smelling her clothes she let out a loud, “Ugh!” and quickly stripped and hopped into the shower. Scrubbing herself until she was nearly raw. After drying she put on an old pair of sweatpants that she would normally never been seen wearing outside of the house, and one of Bucky's old t-shirts. She didn't even bother with shoes she toed on a pair of worn flip flops grabbed her key card and a couple of bills and left.

Walking to the store next door she did have a niggling feeling that she forgot something important. But the walk was so short she just shrugged it off. 

The clerk, a kindly omega in her forties looked up as she came in, “Hi there Stephanie.”

“Hi Doris.” She just tried to sound cheerful but it came out tired, she missed Doris' narrowed eyes as she passed by, grabbed a basket and started to fill it with everything she needed.

Walking to the counter she was taken aback when she realized that Doris was staring at her like she had three heads...

Suddenly Doris unceremoniously dumped everything Stephanie had picked out into a large bag and told her, “You can pay me later, you need to get home now!”

“W-what?” 

Doris gripped her hand, “Did you maybe forget something?” And tapped her other hand to her own neck.

“OH Jesus”.

She was shocked when she heard herself curse out, but Jesus, she forgot to put on the scent blocker and finally, FINALLY, taking in her surroundings she saw several men staring at her through the shop windows, “oh Jesus titty fucking Christ!”

Nodding at Doris she grabbed the bag, bolted out of the store and tore toward the apartment building, and damn it all if the men who had been staring at her actually ran after her. 

She heard several shouts, “Hey wait!”, “Can I just talk to you!?!” and so forth, but she ignored it all and managed to swipe her key card and dart in just in time. One of the men had grabbed the door handle and pulled hard, he had a predatory look in his eyes and was clearly angry that she had rejected him.

It absolutely terrified her, he started pounding on the door, and then one of the other men started pushing him and then a full on fight broke out. By then the security guard had reached her.

“Don't worry about it love, just get to your apartment and I'll take care of this...shaking his head, “Stupid alphas acting like animals.”

Clutching the bag to her chest like it was a lifeline she managed to move her lead like feet and take the elevator to her floor, she kept it together until she got inside and promptly fell to the floor shaking like a leaf. 

It was only the thought of the ice pops melting that allowed her to crawl to the kitchen, after all, what would have been the point of doing something so astronomically stupid if she didn't at least get her ice pops out of it. 

Shoving them into the freezer she grabbed another ice pack and held it to her flushed face. Another wave of cramps and intense heat between her legs came on and she just wanted someone to be with her.

When she'd go into heat if Bucky wasn't deployed he'd stay with her. Hold her and speak to her in that soothing Alpha voice that just seemed to make everything ok, he'd stay until it got to the point where she just couldn't stand it anymore and would resort to an ice bath. 

Even if Bucky wasn't on his honeymoon with Darcy it wouldn't have been fair to ask him to stay with her, this was her problem, but she wanted her bond, her Alpha here, but she couldn't call Tony, he didn't even know that she bonded to him, and seeing as he never bonded to her she had no right to ask.

But...but he did say that she could call him if she ever needed him, maybe at least talking to him would help soothe her like Bucky's voice always did. God it was a gamble, she hadn't tried calling him since he'd gotten back from Afghanistan, she figured he'd heard her messages and didn't want her, didn't want to turn her down or just deleted them. 

Letting out a long shaking breath she got up and trudged into the living room and found her phone. She curled up on the couch and put the ice pack between her legs, clutched a pillow, and found Tony in her contacts. Putting it on speaker she laid the phone next to her face and waited.

Tony was flying his suit over the coast, testing out new propulsion mechanisms when Jarvis spoke, “Sir, you have an incoming call.” 

“If its Pepper tell her I'm busy ok, I've had enough talk of board meetings and progress reports for one day thanks!”

“It's Miss Stephanie sir.” 

God after all this time... “Sir?” Steeling himself, “Put her through.”

After a long pause he suddenly remembered his phone etiquette, “Hello?”

“T-tony, hi, um I'm sorry to bother you.” 

Tony frowned, her voice was shaky and somehow his instinct told him that it wasn't just nerves. “Something wrong kiddo?” He tried to keep his voice calm and soothing, something told him that that would help whatever this was.

“I ah, yeah, sorry this is going to sound so stupid but I just wanted to hear y-your, well an Alpha's voice.”

Uh, that didn't put him on edge...at all, “Okkk, well, what about Bucky?” He didn't want to sound dismissive, but he didn't really think that this was his place, she had an Alpha. 

Stephanie didn't even stop to think about how he knew about Bucky.

“Oh, he's on his honeymoon in the Bahamas.” 

Tony thought that his stomach dropped out of the suit and into the ocean, “Honeymoon?” he asked flatly. 

“Yeah, with Darcy, Lord it was crazy she entered a contest where you video tape yourself proposing to your significant other and post it online, she got the most votes! Not surprising really, her proposal was hilarious.” 

Tony hardly heard a word she said, blood roaring in his ears, she was trying to explain something about a trampoline and whipped cream when he stopped her abruptly, “Steph!”

She stopped talking all at once. “I'm sorry Steph, but I have to go, I'm in the middle of...well I just have to go, I'll talk to you later.”

There was silence and then she sighed, “Ok Tony.” The tone suggested that she really didn't believe that. The line went dead.

The words that proceeded to spew forth from Tony's mouth would make a sailor blush. When he was finally spent he realized that he was safely standing on the beach, if Jarvis were real he'd be standing silently behind him waiting patiently for Tony to collect himself. 

“Jarvis, who the hell is James Buchanan Barnes?!?” The anti stalking laws prevented a lot but this time Jarvis gave him whatever he asked.

“Mr. Barnes is Stephanie's half-brother. They share the same Mother.”

Jesus, he wanted to fall to his knees but the suit was holding him quite firmly up. He always just assumed, never thought to check to see if they were related or even just good friends. But an Omega would never do something like that if they had a bond mate because ultimately their partner would know and it'd kill both of them. But for a child...or a brother...

For someone who is supposed to be so smart, he was one stupid son of a bitch.

“Jarivs, please play the messages Stephanie left for me while I was gone.” 

They played, Stephanie worried...trying over and over again to get a hold of him saying that something felt wrong, then promises of convincing Rhodes to do something to find him. The one probably made way too late at night when one probably shouldn't be leaving messages... “God, I love you Tony, please don't be dead!” The last was the worst, “Tony, I am so glad you are alright, if you need anything, please call me.” The tone was shaky, like she wanted to say so much more but was afraid to. 

Turning to gaze at the sea and the approaching sunset he let out a bitter laugh, was it even possible to fix this? Yet, she did call him, maybe... “Jarvis...”

“Sir!” His AI's sudden interruption instantly put him on alert, “There appears to have been a disturbance outside of Miss Stephanie's apartment building.”

He never said a word, the next moment he was up in the air tearing towards the city. 

“Footage Jarvis?” 

He saw a video of Stephanie leaving her building to a nearby store. While she was inside several men began to congregate outside of the store. The feed skipped to twelve minutes later when Stephanie suddenly tore out of the store, the men chasing after her, it ended with her getting into her apartment building. Though it was clear at least one of the men was going to make a stink, he pulled on the door and pounded on it. Some of the other guys shoved at him and a brawl ensued. Damn, Stephanie was probably embarrassed as hell and scared, but he didn't think that mattered as much as the fact that those men acted like damn animals! Wait, animals?  
“Jarvis, is Stephanie in heat?” It wasn't exactly possible for his AI to actually know that but... 

“According to her recorded schedule and the recent events I can make a fairly accurate guess that she is indeed in heat and that she would most likely be very happy to see you sir.” If Jarvis was real Tony would probably punch him in the face, damn if he didn't just always know what to say. 

Landing hard in front of Stephanie's apartment building he asked Jarvis, “Dial the number please.” 

He turned towards the men that were still there despite the authorities and turned his pulsars at them, they wisely left quickly. Iron man wasn't to be trifled with. After a moment he heard an answer, “Tony, um hi!” 

He smiled behind the mask, “Hi doll, I'm actually outside, would it be okay for me to come in?” 

She didn't answer for a full second, “I uh, yeah sure, let me call the guard!” He waited and a man who was clearly the guard made sure that he was the only one near the door and then opened it. “I don't suppose you can leave that armor here son?” he asked. 

Tony shrugged, “Sure”. The armor opened up and he stepped out, telling the armor, “Sentry mode.” The armor put up a hand and looked about vigilantly. 

Tony smiled at the guard, “Don't worry, he's harmless, unless you try anything.” 

The man smiled bright, “Son, this girl is special, don't fuck it up!” Tony would have been taken aback but the man was right, “Yes Sir, I'll do my best!”

He ran to the elevator and nearly lost himself over the wait to the sixth floor, finally he was outside her door, he knocked, nervously smoothing back his hair. 

Stephanie was really hurt when Tony abruptly ended the call, she knew she'd been rambling a bit, but she had just just been so glad to hear his voice! Then he called back and Stephanie had no idea what to think about the idea of Tony outside her apartment building. Should she let him in, did he get what was going on and just wanted a booty call? When she heard the knock she jumped off the couch and opened the door, and there he was. 

God, he looked good, “Hi.” She stupidly said. He just stared back, she'd cut her hair since he'd last seen her, it was cute but he liked it better long, she was wearing ugly sweats and an old t-shirt that clearly belonged to her brother, but to him she looked and smelled amazing, lord it was intoxicating, but he did his best to keep it together. 

It was different from the scent she'd given when he'd first seen her at the auction. That was an intoxicating scent. This was as well but with a certain plaintive call to it. Not just saying “Hey I'm an amazing omega!” This scent was “Hey I'm an omega and I'm in heat and I really want to have sex with my bond mate and that would be........you.”

“Stephanie, are you alright?” She just gestured for him to enter her apartment, then she locked the door. Turning to him with an almost predatory look in her eyes, Tony found himself pushed up against the wall as she proceeded to molest him. Damn, if only all alphas truly understood the passion of an omega he thought as the woman ravaged his mouth and groped, stroked, and nearly undid the poor man. 

She stopped with great effort and took a step back, “God, I'm sorry, I just, it's just...”

Tony shakily put up a hand, “Please don't ever be sorry for anything like that every again, I love you Steph.” 

Her face fell at that and she started to cry, quickly he pulled her into a deep embrace, “Tony, I love you so much, I don't care if you don't ever bond with me, but please be with me!” 

At that Tony needed to see the truth, “Where?” he asked, she knew exactly what he meant, she pulled off her shirt leaving only her bra and pulled the waistband of her pants down, there he saw his name, written in script in a curve right along her pelvis, Anthony Stark. 

Of all the places he smirked inwardly. 

“Why didn't you say anything?” He asked her as he traced his name with this fingers. She just shook her head, “I wasn't supposed to bond with you, and I didn't want to make you angry.” 

God help him, “Dammit Steph, I wanted to bond with you over and over again the whole time, but I didn't want to make you feel like I was trying to put a claim on you without your permission, maybe I should have, just to show you how I felt!?!”

She just stared back at him and then suddenly gasped aloud, he could smell the warm fluid coming out of her and it was fucking amazing! 

“Tony...” She gasped his name weakly, he didn't need any more of an invitation. He ripped off her bra, pulled off her sweat pants and soaked panties and then he picked her up and practically threw her onto the bed. He did his best to take off his clothes without tripping over himself but somehow he knew that she didn't care if he was being graceful or not! 

He didn't bother with birth control, at this point he'd be thrilled to have a child with her, it was selfish, but there you go, he was a selfish man. He moved down and tasted her, God it was amazing, this is what every alpha dreams of when mating with an omega. She cried out and begged but he wouldn't stop tasting her, when she was finally spent he made love to her again and again, she begged for it over and over and he did his best to oblige. Her scent helped keep him going, but he was exhausted after several hours when she finally just held him to her and he fell asleep. 

When he was...lucid, all he knew was that someone was massaging his neck and back and it felt fantastic. Stephanie was mounted over his hips as he lay face down and she was massaging him, “Just relax!” She told him to breathe deeply as she continued to massage him. He took deep breaths and just relaxed like she said, the massage was amazing and he felt like a boneless mass. 

Steph just kept massaging but the main focus of her eyes was the mark on Tony Stark's back. Along his shoulders was the name “Stephanie Rogers”. She couldn't help but stare at it non-stop, a stupid grin on her face. She loved to cuddle him, so it was the perfect spot for her mark to be, so she could look at it, kiss it, enjoy it. 

Tony kind of felt different himself, like it wasn't just him on his mind...finally he got it, did he bond with Stephanie? Finally!?!

She fell off him and pulled his back to her chest and kissed the soul mark and cuddled into his back. Tony, totally still out of it, just hummed in pleasure. “Babe, did I bond with you?” he asked in a sleepy voice. 

“You sure did, it's on your back.” She just kept kissing. But he stopped her, “I wanna see.” 

They got up and went to the bathroom, he stood to the mirror and she gave him a hand mirror so he could see better. He took a long look and then smiled, a real smile, one he hadn't given in awhile. 

“You have a thing for my back?” She laughed, “A man's back is more sexy than men think, plus I love to spoon you!” 

He just smiled and turned back to her, taking her in his arms and kissing her deeply. He really didn't know where to go from here, but he'd be dammed if he ever let her go again. 

Once he was done kissing her she just nuzzled his neck, “I'll make breakfast.” After eggs, hash browns, and fruit they actually went out. For some reason Tony was really insistent upon it. When they were outside she understood why, her scent had changed. She was clearly claimed now, and he was proud to make it loud and clear who she belonged to, and who he belonged to. It was a great day.

Tony could see envious looks from passing alphas as they hung out in a local park and just chatted; she told him about everything that had happened to her, her brother, and Darcy since she'd last seen him and he talked somewhat about his time away from her. He didn't talk much about Afghanistan and she didn't push. Later they had an early dinner at a nice Italian restaurant nearby. 

Later they ended up back in her apartment and made the most of themselves all night long, the next day was much the same, but Stephanie had forgotten that her brother was due home the day after...and he had a key.


	10. confession time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stephanie tells her brother the truth

Tony and Stephanie were busy cuddling when all of a sudden someone came into her apartment and shouted, “We're back Steph, get out here, I've got presen....what the fuck!” 

Tony just shouted out, “Mark 4 stand down!” 

After the first day the suit found itself on Stephanie's balcony, so they just let him in. 

They quickly threw some clothes on and ran into the living room.

Bucky had no idea what to say, “Steph!?!” Looking nervously at the suit. He had come in with Darcy silly touristy t-shirts on and bags of souvenirs. 

Darcy just smirked when she saw the two of them, “Oh...hey babe, we'll wait here, you two get washed and dressed!” 

James seemed like he wanted to argue, but just followed Darcy's example when she elbowed him. 

“Oh jeeze! Stephanie grumbled, “that isn't exactly how I was going to introduce you to my brother!”

They both laughed and quickly got into the shower. “Well, I'm not exactly a stranger to your brother Steph.” 

She looked up from washing her hair as they shared the shower, “Huh?”

“Who do you think made his arm, I had to make sure it was perfect seeing as you ordered it.” 

Startled she finally understood something really, REALLY important, “You thought he was my boyfriend didn't you?”

Looking her right in the eyes, “Yes I did.” 

“Lord, that explains a lot.” 

Tony just nodded, “Yeah...I'm sorry about how I acted at the end.” 

“Don't be Tony, I could have just been honest with you instead of trying to hide what was wrong, I shouldn't have been worried about you being mad at me fretting over my own brother.”

Embracing they silently promised to be honest with each other from now on. But now it was time for proper introductions. They made sure to enter the living room together. Bucky and Darcy were waiting for them, in their silly island t-shirts. She knew that Darcy wouldn't have any less, she was surprised that she didn't made Bucky wear a straw hat as well. They were currently cuddled up in her love seat, Darcy basically sitting on his lap. 

She wanted to think it was just snuggling, but she also thought Darcy might have done it to keep Bucky from jumping up and doing anything stupid. 

Bucky did give Tony a somewhat dark look, but waited patiently for Stephanie and Tony to sit down on the couch, “So Stephanie, when the heck did you meet Tony Stark?!?” 

Stephanie went to speak first but Tony interrupted, “Well, actually, the first time we met was at a bio mechanics symposium, though she was wearing that terrible beta scent at the time.”

She almost fell over when she heard that! Darcy just squealed, “You remember that! Damn I'm impressed.” 

Bucky raised his eyebrow, “The one where she saw the bionic arm? Wasn't that a few years ago?” 

Tony just nodded, he had no idea how Stephanie wanted to go about this, it was up to her to tell her brother the truth...or not. 

He just looked at her, questioning in his eyes. She took a deep breath, “We, uh, well we met at a club.” 

James narrowed his eyes at that, he never really allowed her to go to clubs, not that he could force her not to but she never seemed much interested anyway, even when Darcy would bug her to go out with her. 

Slowly he starting putting two and two together. Stephanie working a cruise ship even though she hated big boats ever since watching 'The Poseidon Adventure' as a kid, she had nightmares for weeks. Then Darcy confessing to him about working for Natasha Romanoff an infamous 'madam' in the world of semi-legal prostitution and companionship contracts, Stephanie's poor mood, the fact that she no longer scented untouched when she first saw him after his attempted suicide. The crappy story about some guy on the boat.... 

And the fact that the VA hospital received a several million dollar donation that led to him and many others receiving new and improved limbs....all Stark tech. 

He turned white and tried to get up but Darcy held him down, “Jesus Steph did you sell yourself?”

“NO!, well yeah kinda.”

“What do you mean KINDA!” Bucky's voice shook with anger. 

She found herself unable to look at him she knew that he'd be angry and she'd have to tell him the truth someday but this was really difficult. 

“Look at me Stephanie!” 

Forcing her face up she saw the pain and anger in his eyes, and she knew that all he was thinking about was their mother. “I wouldn't have ended up like Mom!”

Tony didn't want to interfere but he had no idea where this was going, “Your Mom?”

Bucky looked at him, “Yeah, our prostitute mother who lost her heart and soul to a pimp, and ended up with just us!” 

He blanched at that, he had no idea, “I-I'm sorry.” 

“Don't be Tony, don't be mad at him Bucky!” 

“Don't be mad? He bought you!” 

Stephanie was glaring at him at this point, “If he hadn't I'd have ended up with Justin Hammer or someone even worse. Tony never forced me to do anything I didn't want to do. And with the way you made me lead my life I never would have met anyone anyhow!” 

That stung Bucky, and she felt bad immediately, he looked a little broken, “I only did that to protect you. After what happened on the base...”

At this point Darcy had moved off of his lap and was just holding him. Stephanie was holding back her tears as best as she could, “I'm sorry, I know that, it's just...that when I was standing there that day, those men and women bidding on me, I was terrified, but also in a sick way felt like I was finally really being looked at, and that finally I wasn't that off putting beta everyone thought I was and no one would pay attention to.”

Tony didn't know what to say to any of this, clearly they had been putting off some very serious confessions. He was starting to feel guilty himself, he had ignored her too with that scent. 

“You were miserable Bucky, I just wanted to help you.”

Her brother wiped tears from his face, “If I knew where the money came from I'd have never accepted this arm.”

They stared stricken at each other and Tony finally decided to break the ice, “Well!” he said, slapping his hands together, they stared at him, “You don't really have to worry about that, she didn't pay for a single bit of wire or screw in that arm of yours, I made it pro bono, all the money went to the other veterans. And Stephanie is right about one thing, I couldn't let her go with some bastard like Hammerhead!” 

Both Steph and Bucky stared at him, jaws practically on the floor when suddenly Darcy laughed, “Damn Stark, you really hate that guy don't you!”

“Exactly, he's a hack. I had no idea what was going to happen that night, but I did catch Stephanie's scent and I went in with him, I was curious, then when the whole thing started and he bid a mere three hundred thousand and everyone else stopped I thought to myself, hell fucking no way! This woman is priceless! I would have kept bidding even it if went into the billions!” 

Tony stood and faced Bucky, “Look if I were in your shoes I'd punch me in the face after finding out something like this, but you may not want to.” Pointing over at the suit who was watching vigilantly, “but I wouldn't have forced her to do anything, I even thought of just sending her home with my phone number but...well.”

Stephanie interrupted, “But then you slept in a different bed and let me have your room because it had the best view, and then made me breakfast the next day, and we hung out on the beach and I enjoyed myself so much I wanted to stay another night, and another, and then you got me the original Star Wars on blue ray!” She smiled at him.

Darcy shouted, “What really, the original, none of the added special effects!?!”

Tony just smiled at the two of them shaking his head ruefully. Bucky looked at him then her then asked, “Are you two bonded?” 

Stephanie blushed, that was answer enough. Darcy just jumped up, “OK, I know where Steph's is but where's yours!!! Here I'll show you mine”, she pulled up her shirt and turned so Tony could seen the name 'James Buchanan Barnes' written on her side each word below the other. It must have happened during the honeymoon because it wasn't there before. Stephanie wanted to squeal in delight but it didn't seem appropriate for the moment so she squashed the urge.

“It's on my back”, he hesitated. Taking off his shirt would reveal the arc reactor, but he guessed he could just turn around first. He pulled off his shirt and Darcy just gasped dramatically and jumped up and down, “Awesome! Now let me see this!” She grabbed him hard and pulled him around. 

Stephanie gasped, “Darcy!”

“What, it's cool!!! It's nothing to be ashamed of or anything.” 

The fact that she was so blunt actually kicked him out of the shock she put him into by manhandling him, he look at Bucky's arm and the man look back with understanding in his eyes. They'd both experienced the horrors of war. 

Tony just laughed nervously, “Yeah, I guess not.” 

James seemed to be himself again, he just gave Stephanie a long and firm hug and kissed her on the cheek. Then afterward he looked down hard at Tony, he was taller than him, he offered his hand. Tony took it gratefully. 

Turning to Stephanie, “Don't ever do anything crazy like that again!” 

She teared up and nodded while hugging her brother. 

“Take care of her Stark.”

He smiled, back, “Only the best of everything James.” 

Bucky snorted, “Alright Darcy, lets let the love birds be I guess.” 

Darcy groaned, “Okay fine, I'm leaving the presents here but you can't look at them! We'll come back another time.”

She just smiled, “I promise Darcy.” 

They left and Tony started to pull his shirt back on when he smelled it, “I know I haven't been wearing them much, but I could use some fresh clothes.” 

Laughing she just grabbed the shirt, “I like you better this way anyway”, she pulled up to his chest and touched the reactor, she hadn't been able to ask him about what had happened while he was kidnapped. “Does it hurt?” 

“No, not anymore.” 

“Steph, what happened to make your brother so protective?” 

She stiffened in his arms, pulling away she found it hard to look at him, “God Tony it's so embarrassing.” 

“Why!?!” 

“Tony! Jesus, how do I explain that my first heat was strong that I disrupted an entire army base!?! My God, it was horrible, soldiers chased me and some guy tried to carry me off like King Kong! The school nurse had to tranquilize him! It's no wonder that poor Bucky made me wear that horrible stuff for so long. I mean he'd always been protective, he didn't want me to end up like our mother, but that incident put him over the edge.” 

Damn, he'd had no idea some omegas had it that bad! “I'm sorry Steph, I wish I'd been there to protect you.” 

Sighing she put her head on his chest, “I wish I had been there for you. Or that I was some sort of super soldier who could kick all of those bastard's asses!” 

Tony chuckled, “Well, you were there with me, I thought about you every day.” 

She just tightened her grip, “hmmpff, invent a super strength serum and give it to me!” 

“God and let you have even more control over me! Crazy thing I think my Dad worked on something like that during the war. Nothing came of it though of course.” 

Stephanie just kept her grip, “Well, just find it and finish it because I was so worried about you Tony, and when people said you had to be dead, I knew you weren't, I told Rhodes to get his ass moving, I bet he regretted ever giving me his cell phone number!” 

Tony didn't know what to think of that, Rhodes had said something about 'tips' that help lead them to where he could be found. Beyond all that, one thing was for certain.

“Babes, this is a nice apartment and all, but how do you feel about going home?” 

Steph just smiled and within two days they were fully settled, and when Bucky and Darcy were ready to hand out gifts, it was in Tony's Malibu home.


	11. Chapter 11

Both Bucky and Darcy marveled a bit at the opulence of the home. But they got over it. 

Surprisingly Tony greeted them first, “James, Darcy, welcome to my humble abode!”

The two followed him into the living room area, Stephanie was busy pulling out all the gift bags Darcy and James had left at her apartment. Seeing the two she rushed forward and hugged them, “Hi guys! Want anything to drink? I've got iced tea, lemonade, water, beer?”

Darcy just laughed, “Babe you know what we like!” Ciara smiled and returned with a couple iced teas and a coffee for Tony. She kissed Tony on the cheek and pulled him to her, her hormones were still strong and she needed him physically close to her. He just hugged her back.

Silently her brother was glad that she had finally found an alpha to take care of her! 

Darcy then dove into the gift bags pulling out pineapple jam, guava rum butter, wooden sculptures and masks, figures made out of conch shells and a bottle of rum! Plus of course the corny t-shirts and magnets, shot glasses, and post cards.

It was fun and they enjoyed Darcy and Bucky explaining the native artists they met, the activities they did, and all the fun they had. 

Stephanie was just so glad that they had had such a good time, and they seemed so much in love with each other, more than when they'd left, that she just wanted to squeal!

Before Bucky left he gave her a huge hug and a large sniff at her neck, smirking a little he asked, “Do you know?” 

She was alone with him thank god, “Know what?” 

He just smiled at her, “You smell like Mom did when she was pregnant with you.” 

Hugging her again he left with Darcy and Stephanie did her best not to freak out, but considering her heat, it wasn't that surprising. 

A week later after an in home pregnancy test and then a visit to a doctor she knew she had to tell Tony.

She went down to the workshop and he was busy working, so she felt bad intruding, but she had just gotten back from the doctor. Tony looked up from his work, “Hey babe, you feeling okay?” She told him that she thought she had the flu, “Yeah...I'm pregnant.” 

Tony just froze, he thankfully put his tool down, and then asked, “Really?” 

She wasn't sure what sort of mood he was in, “Yeah, sorry, really.” 

He shot up and gripped her hard, “Jesus NO, don't be sorry! God really!!!!!!!! I'm going to be a Dad!?!”

Stephanie just nodded, he bounced around a bit and shouted, “I'm going to be a dad!”

Smiling he shouted, “Jarvis, we need a dietitian, a Lamaze instructor, baby yoga too I'm thinking, order a bunch of books, ummmmm.....let me know if I am forgetting anything!” 

She just shook her head, “Calm down Tony, we have like eight months.” 

Tony just smiled at her brilliantly, he went down on one knee and pulled something from his pocket, “Stephanie, I love you so much, will you marry me?” He showed her an amazing ring, clearly this had been on his mind, but this was his catalyst she guessed. 

“I love you too Tony...” Staring into his gorgeous eyes she just shouted, “Yes!” 

She was a bit afraid he'd only asked because she was pregnant, but later she was so glad she hadn't hesitated, it's not like men keep rings around just in case their girlfriends become pregnant!

Everyone was super excited when they got the news but then there were the questions if they'd get married before or after the birth. 

Tony deflected but Steph thought hard about it, she didn't need some huge ceremony, and if Tony wanted one it could come later.

So Stephanie and Tony found themselves with a Justice of the Peace on the beach on his property with Rhodes, Pepper, Happy, Bucky, and Darcy, being quietly married, and it was lovely! 

Some weird bald old man showed up later trying to make some fuss but Pepper shooed him off, but while there Bucky didn't take his eyes off of him. That put her on edge as her brother had been trained to detect threats. 

Later after an intimate dinner and everyone went home Steph asked, “Who was that man?”

“Obadiah? Just a dinosaur really, he worked with my Dad but now he's basically redundant, but seeing as he looked after the company for so long I keep him around.”

“Oh....I just, it just seemed like he was awfully surprised?”

Tony nodded, “Well, I didn't really see any reason to notify him, we aren't that close, at least not since I came back from Afghanistan, he's been fighting my attempts to turn the company away from weapon manufacturing.” 

“Huh, well, any other dinosaurs I should know about? Besides the ones I learned about in school?”

Tony laughed and just twirled her around joking about the dinosaur tech behind Dum-E. But that kind of annoyed her, she knew that she was no where near the same intellectual level that he was, but she was plenty smart in her own way and she knew a threat to her man when she felt one. She'd be keeping an eye on Obadiah Stane!


	12. chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obadiah gets his

A few weeks after their quiet wedding she was sound asleep in bed, but something woke her up, it was instinctual. She just felt that something was wrong. Tony had been in the workshop working on his suit, he'd confessed to her that he'd been trying to find all the erstwhile weapons that Stark Industries had allowed to be gained by the 'bad guys', clearly someone in the 'in' had been involved. 

Bucky had taught her to detect threats, and how to react to them, but more than that her soul mark was tingling. She knew that a threat to her mate was here and went to the hidden handgun her brother had given her that not even Tony knew about. She figured Jarvis knew but kept quiet. She slink-ed her way out of their bedroom and looked down from the stairs to find Obadiah behind Tony!   
Tony was still, his veins popped out and eyes wide, he obviously couldn't move! The old man was talking to him and then pulled out Tony's arc reactor with some claw like device and she flipped! Jumping over the stairs she landed on her feet, it hurt like hell but she ignored it and ran towards the fucker gun in hand, “Get away from him you Son of a Bitch!” 

The man was startled at first but then laughed, “A prostitute defending her man! Look I'll give you millions, billions! Just back off!”

She growled and leveled the gun. The man stupidly laughed, “Do you even know how to fire...”

He didn't get to finish. She'd been well trained by her brother and with a shot the man was dead....dead, and at the moment she didn't give a damn, he'd tried to hurt the love of her life, the father of her child, he had to die.

Putting down her hands she cautiously came forward, but there didn't seem to be any other operatives. She grabbed Tony and pulled him away from the body and held him tight, “Jarvis!?! Are you up!” 

It was stat-icky but there was a response, “I am up now Ma'am!” 

“Call for help, only those we trust please, or I might shoot.” 

Tony would laugh if he could but he knew she wasn't kidding, she held Tony close but didn't put the gun away despite Obadiah being dead. 

Shakily she listened to Jarvis explaining how to put the device back into Tony. 

He felt worlds better after she'd reattached the reactor and while still out of it he tried to speak but she just kept shushing him and holding him tight, hovering protectively. The first person to arrive, thankfully, was her brother, he knew just what to do!

Coming in with the access code she'd given him he cautiously approached the two, Tony was basically himself but he was afraid of Stephanie's mental state, she seemed to be on survival mode, he played weak because she didn't seem to want him to move away from her protective stance. Turned out omegas didn't like anyone messing with their nest.

Luckily her brother seemed to know exactly what to do, “Steph, he's okay, you did great.” He carefully took the gun away from her.

She just looked at him and then her husband and began to cry, “B-bucky, he ripped his heart out!”

Her brother held her, “It's okay Steph, you did what you had to do!” 

Tony didn't think that she'd feel guilty for killing the SOB, now he knew, thank god she had a brother to keep both of them in line! Being him he wouldn't give a shit that the bastard was dead considering, but his wife was different. 

He passed out at that point and the next morning he woke to find himself in his bedroom. He was surprised it wasn't a hospital room, but looking up he saw a strange man, well not that strange he'd seen him before. Agent Coulson!

“Agent, I-uh, I don't remember inviting you to my house?”

Coulson smiled, “You didn't, your wife did, she want's Shield protection over you, that is until you are done inventing which will happen...........” 

Tony smiled, “When I'm dead in my grave........Agent Coulson, I can't do anything to endanger my family I get that now.” 

Coulson smiled, “You are a better man than you know Stark, Please know that what we do isn't just for ourselves, but for the world, can we count on you as an consultant at least?”

Tony smirked, “Sure, as long as a the Misses is okay with that!”

Phil smiled, “Well she already made that clear to me while you were asleep!”

They both smiled and Phil went on his way. Soon Stephanie approached him, she looked tired, like she'd just woken up. She looked incredibly guilty.

“Tony...I”

He stopped her, “Damn Steph, you were like Chuck Norris, only a hell of a lot prettier! And you aren't allowed to feel guilty; the fucking bastard was going to kill me!” 

She stopped and just rubbed her arms, “Tony......your heart, your reactor, why did he want it so badly?”

He froze a bit at that, “Steph...there is so much that one can do with this tech, I refused to share it with him, I suppose that is where part of this started. Though I now know he was the one to order my hit in the Middle East!” 

Stephanie froze when she heard that and clearly wasn't feeling safe, “C-can, I mean can we hide?”

Tony got out of bed and pulled his wife into his arms, “Stephanie, the threat won't go away anywhere, but I can improve security to the home and the business!” 

Tony did as promised and the security to the estate was rock solid, he actually wanted to chastise himself for not doing the same earlier really. 

Stephanie was still a bit insecure and so Tony didn't force her to give up the gun or the location she kept it hidden, but he did present her with a taser which he felt much better about her using. He was secretly afraid she'd accidentally shoot him, better tasered than shot, though that was a bit stupid seeing how well her brother had taught her to shoot, he'd been a sniper after all.

During the time he'd been working on the mansion's security he noticed a number of packages arriving addressed to his wife....he still felt warm every time he thought of Steph as his wife. The packages always cleared his security fine but he found himself opening one of them and rather than the usual future baby supplies or something more everyday he found art supplies. 

Sketching pads, pencils, canvases, paint, etc. 

He didn't want to be too nosy but Stephanie had never mentioned such a hobby, but seeing as she hadn't he wondered if she was embarrassed by it or was just trying to find something to pass the time. He gave it a week before his curiosity got the most of him. 

He'd had Jarvis track her 'hobby' and while he never asked for video Jarvis said she spent a great deal of her time alone with the sketching pads. 

Finally he had sneaked upon one of her pads when she was busy in the bath so he figured he had plenty of time. Opening it up he was shocked to find numerous amazing sketches, those of the beach and ocean, those of her brother and Darcy, but mostly...of him. Him with his bots, him working on a project down to the last details, bolts and nuts! He knew that he didn't think she saw what he saw but she did, at least in visual sense because she hadn't been exposed to his workshop so often that she should have been able to draw such detail! 

He kept going and kept finding more and more sketches...of him. Sleeping, reading, eating.......damn this was the version of a girl who writes Mrs. Tony Stark in her note book a thousand times wasn't it! But he loved it!

But then he heard a slight 'ahem.' behind him. 

He turned sharply and guiltily but didn't try to hide the sketchbook. 

She sighed, “Just couldn't keep from prying could you?” She poked Tony on the chest and took back her sketchbook. 

Tony just stared in wonder, “Why didn't you tell me?”

Steph looked at him strangely, “Tell you what?”

He looked annoyed, “That you like to draw, sketch, whatever, I'd have taken you to a million art museums by now!”

She stared, “Maybe that's why, I like to keep it private, I don't....I just don't want attention from it...” She blushed and turned away from him.

“Steph, you do know you are talented right?”

His wife just scoffed a bit, “I just doodle!”

Tony came forward and grabbed the sketchbook from her, “Oh, no, you do not just doodle! This is honest to god talent!” He pulled open a sketch of him that she'd drawn with him working he pointed out the details of the machinery he'd been working on, “Now look, that is exactly as the machinery looks! Though I'd be fine if you wanted to make it sci-fi and alter things but please don't tell me that you don't have talent!” 

Stephanie blushed and nearly ran away from him before he could stop her, “Steph, I'm sorry what is wrong?” 

Tearing up Steph just said, “It's just...It always seemed like I was never really supposed to be good at anything unless it'd lead to me getting married sort of thing.” 

Tony frowned a bit and then asked, “So...were you taught to love star wars and cook Chicken Marsala, and just be the perfect woman for me in particular?”

She just sighed, “Um no Tony.”

He smiled, “Yeah, I don't ever want you trying to be something you think I want you to be! You are perfect the way you are, in fact way better than I deserve!” 

Steph frowned, “Tony, I'm not perfect.”

Tony realized then that she was afraid he'd put her on a pedestal, which he kind of did. “Sorry babe, I understand but I think that you are perfect for me, even with every quirk you have and your love of the Mets! 

Steph laughed, “And I love you despite your odd ways! It'd probably help if you let me watch you invent.”

Tony took that to heart and soon she was audience to Tony's work, even if she was just sitting on the couch and sketching while he worked. She just liked being there and he found it calming as well. She never interrupted as he talked to his bots or Jarvis as he worked, rather it seemed she enjoyed his repartee with his AIs

In the meanwhile though, they had at least visited some art museums in Los Angeles. And in the process they kept learning more about one another. 

To the point where Tony had said he should pose nude and she snorted but then after a moment, demanded YES! 

He was chagrined that he now was forced to strip and she took her pad and pencils and told him to do what felt natural. So she sat to work and she sketched, while he worked in his shop. He was actually so invested in his work that he didn't even care after a while that not only was he naked but also being sketched.

Several hours had passed before Steph stopped Tony, “Ok lover, I can't draw anymore and we need to get to bed!”

Tony looked up in surprise but he got up fast and looked over her drawings before realizing that maybe they'd have to have a safe for her more x-rated work. Then they spent some x-rated time in the bedroom.

Darcy and Stephanie were in a spa, for whatever reason Tony had set them up a a nice spa for massages and such. Steph couldn't go into the hot tub but there was actually a body temp pool she could relax in while waiting for her massage and she was so happy. Stephanie was curious as to what the hell caused Tony to send the two away so suddenly for the day, but she hoped that it was for a good cause! 

“Ok, so what do I do?” 

That was Tony asking James, “Just, okay your position is alright, now hold the gun like that, yeah but put your other hand over, yeah you got it, now focus and then aim!” 

Tony knew weapons and he knew tech, but he'd rarely fired them himself, so he asked his brother in law to help him be more proficient when it came to wielding a gun.

Bucky was a surprisingly patient teacher and soon Tony felt confident when it came to his ability to handle a basic hand gun...The next lesson, however, was assault weapons and knives, he would probably need to send his wife and Darcy to Vegas for the weekend.........which he did.

The time had come.........

Stephanie was crying and half naked, Tony approached slowly, “Sweetie what's wrong?” 

“She just looked at him forlorn, “I'm too FAT!” 

The time had come where her clothes just wouldn't fit anymore. “Steph, you are NOT fat, you are pregnant and beautiful! Come on, I'll get you new clothes for your perfect baby Mama figure!” 

She sniffled, I don't want clothes that won't be good after I give birth, unless you think I'll stay fat! Bucky had warned him about omegas being testy and sensitive during heats and pregnancy. He told him to start reading Stephanie's moods by her scent and how it changed, he was getting better at it but no where near the way Bucky could read her. 

Tony was sore pressed as to best word his response, “Baby, every woman who has a child has to change her wardrobe, please let me help you get some new clothes.”

Stephanie's face dropped and she cried out, “I'm sorry for yelling!” 

He just hugged her and was glad that at least she wasn't angry anymore.   
They bought what she would need for the rest of her pregnancy in one fell swoop THANK GOD! He made sure the they bought the same things but in different sizes, that way when she got bigger he'd take away the smaller sizes so she wouldn't have to see them, she stayed happy, he was happy no matter what, and all was well. 

Darcy and Bucky came to visit one day when Steph was just totally out of it and Tony didn't know what to do! 

But Bucky did......Steph was sulking in the kitchen and her brother just took her, pulled her into his arms and held her tight. She fought for a minute before just melting into his arms and crying a little. 

Tony was jealous at Bucky's ability to know what Steph needed, he turned to look at Darcy and saw a similar look, she turned to him and said, “It's almost like they were twins, how close they are, they are a package deal, but sometimes I'm jealous how close she is to him.” 

Stephanie and her brother had a long talk and later that night she confessed to Tony things she had been uncomfortable telling him, just silly things mostly but she still had that fear that she was on a pedestal and couldn't be 'normal' and have normal problems like gas and indigestion! 

She was afraid of what women go through during childbirth and if it would bother him, she was just afraid of being normal and not the woman he paid so much money for. 

God, he was afraid that this would come up one way or another but now.... “Steph, you know I love you right? That nothing going on now has anything to do with that contract!”

They were sitting on a couch. She just nodded and said, “Yes...” 

“Stephanie Genevieve Rogers, I love you so much!” Tony yelled it and she just started to cry. He held her and she held him back, “I'm sorry Tony, I'm just so emotional lately, and I just felt so fat and ugly...I'm sorry.” 

“Jesus, you are NOT fat! You are carrying my child, you are perfect and beautiful right now!” Tony practically shouted. 

Steph shrunk back, “OK, I'm sorry, I believe you hot stuff!” 

He smirked at her response, “You mean it or are you trying to deflect sweetie?”

She smirked a little, “Both!”

They worked through quite a bit while she was pregnant but it was good, by the time she was close to giving birth they had built a solid relationship. 

And Steph had learned not to hesitate to ask for what she wanted which had led to their current state... 

 

Tony was fast asleep curled around Stephanie when Jarvis woke him, “Sir?”

He jerked up, “What?!?” 

“Sir, the food Ms. Stephanie wanted is here.”

At that Stephanie stirred, “Huh, Food!” She got up and tried to go to the front door buck naked before he stopped her. 

“I'll get it Steph!” He didn't even try to reason with her she just mumbled and found some clothes to wear while Tony grabbed a robe and ran to the front door. 

The delivery man looked amused as he gave Tony the food, he just asked, “how far along is she?” Tony smiled brilliantly, “Just two and a half weeks away!” 

The man thanked him for the tip and just said, “Enjoy them, they grow up way too fast!”

Stephanie was nice enough to share the food with him, and she slept the rest of the night into the next day....thank god!


	13. chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baby is born and Tony invents.

That was the last really hormonal period and Tony had some peace until two weeks later when Stephanie edged her way into Tony's workshop.

He stopped what he was doing, “Hey babe, you okay?” 

She just nodded, “Uh, yeah, my water just broke.” 

Tony dropped a wrench on his foot, trying not to curse he ran forward, “What! Are you okay? Why didn't Jarvis notify me!?!”

“Sir.” The calming British voice piped in, “it is time.”

They both laughed, a bag was already waiting by the front door, they knew to be ready. Bucky and Darcy had been contacted and were at the hospital not long after Tony and Stephanie arrived. 

Stephanie and Tony had done Lamaze and baby yoga together but now that it was happening and all the horror stories she'd heard of women defecating and peeing in the delivery room and so forth she wasn't sure she wanted Tony there! But he wouldn't leave and thank goodness she had a speedy delivery!

She remembered her mom saying once that both she and Bucky shot out like canon balls, she was hardly in labor for more than two hours when she gave birth to a baby girl. 

Tony was thrilled and took to fatherhood like an orange to a peel! She was actually jealous some of the time, he was so good with her! She even let him name her, she felt like she was going to be his girl, so might as well. Of course she loved her to death as well, but she did her best to encourage their bond, she never had a father so she wanted Maria to have everything she didn't have. 

When Bucky held the baby for the first time some special connection seemed to have been created. She was still in the hospital. Maria was fussy, Tony was trying to soothe her but Bucky and Darcy had just entered to see the baby for the first time and Bucky didn't care that the baby was crying.

“Come on Stark, let Uncle Bucky have a try!”

He was just joking really, but the second he took hold of her she stopped crying! Making cute little snuffling sounds she buried her head into his neck and fell asleep! 

After that, no matter what...teething, colic, anything! Bucky just seemed to soothe her magically, it drove Tony crazy!

Lying at home she found herself nursing her girl while Tony was busy building a crib himself from scratch because the one from the store was slightly off balance! Maria seemed to give her mother a sarcastic look when her father muttered something about the crib and Stephanie nearly laughed at loud, but just kissed her daughter on the head and whispered, “You may end up as smart as him, but as a girl you'll always be more practical!”

Burping her little girl she told Tony to give it a rest for a bit and just relax. 

It seemed like life couldn't be better for them, they were a family and also had Bucky, Darcy, Pepper, Rhodes, and Happy as amazing additions to their lives.

Of course things weren't always so easy between Tony and Stephanie, Maria was a little over one year old when Tony started to become ill from the palladium poisoning and of course he dealt with it in the worst way possible. 

She realized later that he was trying to push her way, make her hate him so it wouldn't be so hard for her when he died. God the man was so stupid for a genius! 

She did remember the look on his face when he saw the suitcases in the hallway after that horrible birthday party, when he'd finally come home after flying off. It was a resigned look, and she knew he thought he'd finally driven her away. But instead of telling Tony that she hated him she just said, “You are a genius Tony, I know you can fix this! But for now Maria shouldn't have to witness your self-destructive behavior.” 

He figured that she was leaving him, and he didn't blame her so Tony didn't know what to say when Bucky and Darcy arrived to pick up Maria and her suitcases and leave without a word really. Stephanie just watched them go and went back over to Tony, “I know you are sick, I'm your bond mate and wife! You are not allowed to give up!” 

Tony just held her and cried a bit, but when he went through his father's things, when he got his father's hidden message he started to have hope, and she was there to encourage him, force him to eat and sleep, and when he'd gotten the world's fair model from Peppers office and analyzed it he was holding his small daughter when he pulled up the specs and asked his little girl, “What does that look like?” 

“Atom!” she cried, he smiled, and then the nucleus would be??? The tiny girl pointed her little fist to the center panel. 

“That's my girl!” he cried and kissed her on the cheek. 

Stephanie waited to the side, and took Maria so Tony could get to work creating his new mineral, Lord her little girl was a genius as much as her father! She was pleased that Tony was happy to include Maria instead of pushing her aside like his father did to him. 

It had been thrilling for both of them to watch him create the new element, she had missed him creating the suit and her daughter was amazed. Luckily she was well behaved and just watched her father, who seemed to be her new hero at least until her precious Uncle Bucky re-earned that status.

Behind protective glass they both watched in trepidation as the laser made it's way forward burning the walls, Tony holding back a switch with a wrench, then it was done and Tony quipped, “That was easy.” 

She and Maria just cheered, Maria shouting, “Daddy you did it!” 

He of course melted, “Yes baby girl did you doubt it!” Maria just hugged him and pointed to his chest, “No Daddy, you too smart!”

For now he was her hero and he was going to revel at that for as long as it lasted!


	14. chapter 14

Tony was busy working on a suit in his workshop when he got a warning from Jarvis that someone was approaching. A small girl with brown hair ran down and hid under his work desk.

“You know I can see you right?”

The girl just said fearfully, “I'm not hiding from you.”

Then they both heard a loud scream from upstairs. Tony winced when the intercom turned on and Stephanie shouted, “Maria Antonia Stark, get your butt up here right now!” 

“Uh oh, she said your whole name Maria, what did you do, not another experiment I hope?”

She looked up at him with those huge blue eyes, “I didn't know that would happen, it was an accident!” 

The elevator opened and out stepped Stephanie, it was hard to take her fury too seriously as she was heavily pregnant with twins and covered in some sort of goop.

“Where is she!?!” She stood, one hand on her stomach, the other on her hip. 

Tony pulled his daughter out from under the table and onto his lap, “Please tell me that stuff is non toxic?” he groaned. 

“Of course it is, I'm not stupid!” Maria was six years old and at that age when she thought she knew everything, she was also a little too much like he was at that age. Curious and surrounded with even more of the right tools to cause havoc than he had had. 

But he tried his best to encourage her and she often worked alongside him, so he could make sure she knew how to safely use the tools. Then again, sometimes she couldn't seem to help herself like the time she tried to build a working volcano for a school science fair and the gymnasium had to be evacuated due to noxious fumes. She still wouldn't admit how she had gotten a hold of those chemicals. 

Tony put her down and carefully approached Stephanie, “You okay babe?” The thing about his wife was that she could be very angry but it tended to dissipate quickly. She just sputtered a little, “The whole kitchen Tony, the WHOLE kitchen is covered in this slime! I walked in right as she was tearing out!”

Looking at her daughter, “I suppose I should have known to run with her.”

He was doing his best not to laugh, he didn't want to encourage Maria, “Maria, apologize to your mother.” 

Maria was still hiding behind the desk, she stepped out slowly, “I'm sorry Mom.”

Stephanie just shook her head and looked at her husband, “I don't even know what to think or say about this. I really don't know whether to laugh or cry.” 

But Tony could see a ghost of a smile on her face. He wiped away some of the goo from her face, “Well when I watch it all on the security video which is it going to be for me?”

There it was, she burst out laughing. Tony smiled and asked Jarvis, “Jarvis, would you pull it up please?”

Maria was carrying various items to the kitchen sink, she had a bowl inside of the sink and was carefully measuring out the various ingredients; however, being only six her hands could be a little clumsy. She accidentally knocked over a large container of whatever it was into the bowl and the whole mix began to expand rapidly. Maria put her hand over her mouth in shock and then hightailed it out of there. 

He saw her pass her mother quickly and then Steph looked into the kitchen and he could see her look of horror as the mass expanded rapidly and then suddenly exploded, casting slime onto everything...including his wife. 

Poor Stephanie look at him ruefully as he howled in laughter, wiping tears from his eyes, “Sorry Steph,” he managed to gasp out. 

Turning to his daughter he asked, “What were you trying to make?” 

She turned red, “I-I was watching that old movie Flubber, and I thought maybe I could try to make something like that.”

Stephanie tried to follow the conversation the two had over the ingredients that she had pulled together, but she never excelled at chemistry. Maria explaining that she had everything measured but it had to go in a certain order and then the whatever it was, fell into the bowl and there you have it. At least Tony understood and that was reassuring as there were times her daughter terrified her with how incredibly intelligent she was. She was afraid she'd fly herself to the moon in a homemade rocket by the time she was twelve. 

Tony was starting to make suggestions when she decided that it was time to interrupt, “Enough science talk! We've discussed the experiments especially doing them inside and unsupervised!”

“But Mom, I didn't want to bother Dad when he's working!” 

Stephanie didn't back down, “And you just HAD to do it right then and not wait, or at least ask me for permission?”

Maria could be very impatient and very stubborn. Tony tended to indulge, so Stephanie had to be firm. Oddly one of the only people Maria could never argue with was Bucky, he had her wrapped around his fingers. 

The girl looked down at her feet, “I could have waited, I just didn't want to.”

Well, at least she was being honest. 

“There is always a consequence to your actions Maria, you need to think about that, now come on.”

She gestured for her to follow her to the elevator. 

Tony asked, “Where are you going?”

Stephanie gave him an evil smile, “I'm going to watch her clean up every last bit of that goop!”

He laughed, “Have fun with that, you'd better do a good job with that Maria or I'll tell Uncle Bucky that you can't go to the beach with him tomorrow!” 

She actually gasped at that and ran up the stairs, “I'm going, I'm cleaning!”

Tony went into the elevator with his wife but pushed the button for the second floor, “You're getting cleaned up first Steph.”

“Ugh, I feel like Bill Murray from Ghostbusters! Lord, I never knew when I had a girl that she'd end up just like her father!”

Tony protested, “Hey I never exploded things....” She gave him a disbelieving look, “Well never in a kitchen.” 

Laughing she followed him out of the elevator and straight to the bathroom. The gunk had been surprisingly difficult to wash off he basically had to use a loofah, and poor Stephanie was exhausted so he put her to bed promising to watch Maria clean and not to help. 

Walking down stairs he saw his little girl desperately trying to clean up the goo, Jarvis trying to give helpful suggestions. 

“Perhaps Miss Maria, you should try to gather the substance as best you can and just put it in a garbage bag? It seems to be insolvable to water.” 

Maria just gave a sad cry and collapsed on the floor sobbing. Tony ran forward picking her up, “Maria, what on Earth?!?” 

She cried, “I don't want to disappoint Uncle Bucky! I p-promised to be good!”

Tony looked around at the mop and paper towels and cloths and realized that she had been trying to get the mess cleaned up but that it wasn't really cooperating. 

“Maria, calm down, lets think about this logically, alright?” 

She sniffled, “I tried hot water and the fabuloso but it won't work, I tried bleach it won't work! I even tried ajax!” 

Tony thought about it, “What about vinegar?” Maria stopped crying, “Vinegar can be used to clean?” 

“Sure can.” He hugged her tight and just reveled in the scent of his first born, she didn't let him hold her so much these days so he took the opportunity any time he could. But then she squirmed out of his grasp, “Yes vinegar, that should break down the compound!” 

After about an hour she had it all cleaned up, he helped a bit, but not so much that would make Jarvis tell on him to Stephanie...mostly just emptying buckets and preparing new mixes of vinegar and hot water. 

Finally when it was done she looked proud at the clean kitchen and then ran to her father hugging him hard, “Love you Daddy!” 

He choked a little at that, God he loved his family so much, and soon he'd have two more, “Love you baby girl, or should I say soon to be proud big sister!” 

Grasping her he held her high up in the air and twirled her around making her giggle hysterically. Laughing they fell on the couch and she hugged him. Maria thought to herself that maybe she was trying to grow up too fast like Uncle Bucky said, so she hugged her father, “I promise to be a good big sister.”

Tony didn't know what to say, he just snuggled with her and kissed her on the head, “I never had any siblings Maria, but I know you'll be a great big sister.” 

“Thanks Dad.”

They snuggled a bit and then Jarvis announced that it was dinner time...seeing the mess in the kitchen had taken so long, Pizza had been delivered.

Father and daughter ate while discussing mechanics Maria wanted to build her own car....Stephanie was happy sleeping hoping that at least one of the two kids she was soon to birth would be more interested in baking cookies and drawing with her as opposed to exploding things. She loved her daughter, but also found it incredibly difficult to relate to her!

The next day she woke feeling a bit off. So she stayed in bed when Bucky came over with Darcy and James Jr. They took the kids to Tony's private beach and Tony went to the office. 

Later that afternoon Maria made her mother a sandwich, PB&J crusts cut off. She brought it up to her mother and she just smiled at her daughter and said, “Thank you sweetie, you can just put it on the table.” 

That bothered her, her mother was supposed to eat and she liked her sandwich that way best! So she climbed up and lay next to her asking, “Do you feel okay Mom?”

Stephanie didn't want to upset her daughter, but in all reality she really didn't feel right. But she couldn't help but feel that it was nothing...luckily her daughter didn't like to take chances. 

Suddenly Maria ordered, “Jarvis, tell Dad that something is wrong with Mom and Uncle Bucky too!” 

Ciara gasped, “Maria!” But then suddenly she felt wetness, her water broke! It was three weeks early and Stephanie wasn't ready! 

Maria wasn't stupid, she knew something was off, “Jarvis, report!” 

“Miss Maria, your Mother...she is going to be fine, I've contacted the paramedics.” 

Maria saw her mother panicking, she knew that it was early, “Jarvis did Dad answer?”

“Yes Miss!” 

“Okay.”

Maria just sat with her Mother and soothed her, laying next to her in the bed she snuggled with her and just sang to her in her little voice. It was during this time that her mother realized for certain that her daughter was an alpha, she soothed her in the same manner Bucky and Tony would have.

Her Uncle had only just left so he arrived before the ambulance did and he carried his sister to the elevator and then they waited downstairs until the paramedics arrived. 

When he picked her up off the bed Maria saw the blood on the sheets, she knew that this was more serious than the adults would probably say. 

He went with her to the hospital in the ambulance and she went with Darcy in their car separately. 

Sitting in the hospital she waited, finally her father arrived but he was rushed into the delivery room. Darcy did her best to entertain her as well as her very nervous Uncle. She knew that something about this delivery was different and she didn't like it!

Of course twins run certain risks, but she had the feeling that this was more than them being early. Then she started to worry........was it because of her, because of that damn kitchen experiment! She didn't think anything involved was toxic.......but what about the stress....dear lord she put her mother through so much stress!

Maria started to panic a bit and when Bucky was called away and Darcy had to take James Jr to the bathroom she ran, she tried to find a quiet spot in the hospital, she found a chapel, and hid underneath one of the benches. 

Crying a little she forced herself silent after a bit when someone entered and sat right behind the bench she was hiding under. “Fe fi fo fum, I smell the blood of a........scared little girl, come on out Maria!” 

It was her Uncle of course! 

“H-hi Uncle Bucky, is Mom okay?!?”

“She is just fine Maria, better because you called for help! Now why on Earth are you hiding!”  
Maria looked down, “I, I did that stupid experiment and she was mad, and I wasn't supposed to do anything to upset her but I did.”

Bucky sighed and sat her down next to him, “It's not your fault Maria, she suffered something called a placental abruption, it's not common but can happen with twins, pregnancy is very complicated, but she is going to okay.” 

She was glad that her Uncle didn't try to lie to her, but placental abruption sounded terrible, she wished she had her Stark phone so she could look it up. 

“Are the babies okay?” 

He just smiled at her, “Your Mom is having a caesarian now, but they think everything is going to be fine, and when they go home your Mom is going to need a lot of help okay?”

Maria nodded, she'd stay out of trouble, she won't even look at a tool box! She still didn't really believe that this wasn't somehow her fault, it just seemed like too much of a coincidence. He led her back to the waiting area and she tried to play with her cousin, but soon he grew tired, he was only three. She read him a story book she found and he fell asleep on one of the couches. 

The waiting area was very nice....ought to be, the wing of the hospital was named after her father and they had their own private rooms in case anyone in the family got sick. Sighing a little Maria wondered what the other people in the hospital were going through, plus they had to stick with those uncomfortable chairs and ten year old magazines. She knew she saw both during her search for a hiding spot. 

Looking around she saw a popular mechanics magazine but steadfastly refused to read it, she'd get ideas. Instead she opened one up called People magazine and read about celebrities and who was dressed best or worst. She was pretty sure she lost a few brain cells reading it so that was encouraging. 

Maybe an hour later he father finally came to the waiting room. She was tired and her eyes hurt from trying to keep them open. He was talking to Bucky and Darcy in a quiet tone, with the patience of a saint she just waited her turn. 

He must have thought she was napping because he seemed surprised to see her looking at him, “Maria, honey, I'm sorry did I wake you?”

Shaking her head, “I wasn't asleep, are they okay?”

He smiled, “They are all okay, you have two brothers.” 

She started crying a little, he hugged her and she finally fell asleep right then and there!

Bucky just took her from Tony, “She thinks she caused it, because of the experiment.”

Tony frowned, “Stephanie told me that she was feeling off before the whole fiasco, Maria is smart these things just happen.”

“Maria is only six Tony, don't forget that.” 

But then he just gripped Tony on the shoulder, “Congratulations Tony, I'll take Maria home with us, I'll bring her back when the Doctor says Steph can have visitors.” 

When Maria woke the next morning she was sleeping in a strange bed, but soon she knew where she was when her cousin was next to her. She was with Uncle Bucky and Aunt Darcy. That made sense, her parents were busy of course....

She got up and her Uncle was already awake, “Hi Uncle B”, she said yawning a little. 

He just smiled at her and picked her up with his artificial arm, which was really strong, she figured out very young about his arm and it was one of things that made him super cool in her eyes, despite the fact that her father had been the one to create the arm. 

He flung her up and made her giggle before taking her to the kitchen for breakfast. They cooked for Darcy and James Jr, and she finally asked, “When can I see Mom?”

Her Uncle frowned, “I don't know, soon probably.” 

Maria waited like a slug on the couch that day, finally around four o'clock her father called and told her uncle that the next day Stephanie could have visitors. He talked to her a little but not much and then she was back to waiting. She wondered if her father blamed her as much as she blamed herself. 

She had it coming really, she'd been told so many times about the experiments, so she didn't say anything just determined to do what the adults told her to do! 

The next day she was allowed to see her mother in the hospital. Coming in she saw her mom in bed with a baby in her arms, her dad was sitting next to her with another baby. She smiled but held back until someone spoke to her first. Her Mom saw her right away, “Maria, honey, come here!” 

She did as she was asked and came forward but stopped a half foot from the bed, “Are you feeling ok Mom?”

Her Mother just nodded and said, “Come on, come see your brothers!” 

She came a little closer and did her best to smile without showing her fear that she was an inherent threat just being here!

Her mom just held up the one she was holding, “This is Steven Howard Stark and your daddy is holding Alexander Edward Stark.” 

“They are beautiful Mom.” It was all she was able to say, Bucky and her Aunt were busy talking with her parents and she stared into the eyes of the baby on her Mother's chest, her resolve only becoming stronger.

Tony and Stephanie were worried about their daughter. Ever since her brothers had been born she had become lethargic, melancholy, her grades remained high enough but she wasn't working well with others though she made an extreme effort not to act out! 

In fact she was basically doing as little as possible and it was freaking them out.

They were worried that she felt left out and did their best to include her, she did as they asked whenever they asked and that seemed to worry them even more, when had she become so docile! 

Finally Stephanie saw her daughter lying on her bed just staring at the ceiling and she took a chance, “Honey, would you like to sketch with me?” 

Her mother had never asked her to actually sketch with her, she tried coloring books when she was younger but.....she ended up building things out of the books and crayons. 

“Sure Mom.”

Her mother smiled and pulled her girl out of her room into a comfy chair in the living room. She handed her a pad and pencils and pens, “Now just draw anything you like, anything!” 

Her Mom sat down on another chair and pulled out her own pad and pencils and started sketching. She kept looking at her so she figured her mom had her here so she could sketch her! 

Seeing as being a model served a good purpose she just aimlessly sketched on the pad while her mom worked. Her imagination began to take over and she started drawing an idea onto paper.

Stephanie paused from her sketching and asked Maria, “What have you drawn?” Maria wasn't expecting that, she thought it was okay to draw whatever! Her mom sketched a lot but her father never really asked to see it, he did frame quite a few though, but the look on her mom's face wasn't angry or anything. 

She was afraid to refuse her, “I, uh, it's nothing really!” Her mom took the pad and looked over the schematics that she couldn't help but sketch. She wished that she could draw like her mum but she could really only draw what her mind wanted to make. She waited for the blow...only to be surprised when her mom whistled! 

“What is it love? What are you going to build?” 

Maria shut down and just semi-shouted, “N-nothing, I'm not going to build anything!” She awkwardly left and fled outside. What had she been thinking, she couldn't build! There was her mom to worry about and babies! She was too dangerous for them to be around!

Running out of the house she made her way to the beach and just hid in the cabana they used, it was stupid but she just couldn't go back. Maybe two hours later Iron Man landed on the beach and approached the tent. Maria quivered inside and tried not to cry. 

She knew who Iron Man was, but she felt like maybe she was going to be punished for designing! Her father stepped out of the armor and sat down next to her, “Maria...what is going on?” 

Maria whimpered, “I'm Sorry!”

She flinched a bit at the sound of her father's impatience, “Maria, what are you sorry about!?! It seems that all you ever are is sorry these days but you haven't done anything wrong!”

The poor girl just cried, “Yes I did, I tinkered and mom almost died!” 

Tony turned white, “Maria, what are you talking about your Mom was never sick, she just had a complication, those things happen!” Dimly he remembered Bucky telling him what Maria thought and his glib response to it and then her uncle reminding him that she is just a little girl despite her genius. 

Maria cried and he just held her and tried to assure her, “Maria, nothing you did caused your mom's complication, sometimes things just happen, it was just some non toxic slime, remember, she even laughed!”

Choking a bit Maria countered, “But what if it wasn't just slime! I can't afford to be so careless, I can't tinker or invent, I can't!” 

Tony had no idea how to comfort the poor girl, it was true that experiments could be dangerous, but god help him if he'd prevent her from doing what she did best. So he just held her, “Maria...I'm sorry that you have been going through so much by yourself, lets go home okay, you mother is worried about you.” 

He took her home and put her to bed, the next morning she found two books by her bedside, they were “Dragon Song and Dragon Singer” by Anne McCaffrey.” There was also a pile of food for her, her mother knew she couldn't leave a new book alone for long.

Both books centered around a girl with musical skills her family tried to hide because they didn't think girl's should have such skills. It ended with her being recognized for those skills by those who understood her talents. 

The last page of the second book had a note, “Maria, your father and I are nothing like Menolly's parents, we...I am so proud of you!” 

Maria didn't know what to think, she went and found her parents who were playing with the boys. Alexander and Steven were playing some silly game where you just made a silly sound and they giggled nonstop! 

Maria smiled, they were so darn cute! 

Noticing Maria her mother called her forward, “Maria! Come here sweetie!” 

She did as her Mum asked and her Mother pulled her into a deep hug and kissed her head, “Sweetie I love you so much!” 

Maria grumbled, “I-I know.” 

“Do you?” 

Maria looked up, her mother shouted, “Maria Antonia Stark, I love you so much!” 

Her daughter's face crumbled and she starting crying, her Mum just held her tight, “Sweetie, we'll do whatever it takes to make you feel happy and safe okay!?!” 

Maria nodded, not even knowing what she was agreeing to. 

Stephanie said, “How about a family trip, just you, me, and your Daddy! You'll be out of school soon and we can hire or con sitters for your brothers, they'll be weaned by then.” 

Maria laughed at the way she said it! They were so cute, who'd have to be conned to sit them! 

Once school was done, not that she wasn't ever 'done' with school, they headed out to Japan and Okinawa. Her Mother had always wanted to go and they had a blast. 

They explored Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Fukuoka...which Steph wanted to see for some reason something about an anime she and Darcy watched once. They also visited Hokkaido and ended with a flight to Okinawa. 

It was a great trip, they enjoyed hot springs, amazing food, beautiful scenery and while her mother sketched Mount Fuji and the various temples she and her father were able to view Stark plants in the area. So all in all it was amazing! 

But the most amazing thing was when she got back home. Driving up to their house she saw an odd addition to the side of the estate. 

“Hey Dad, what is that?” 

He figured she'd notice right away being as observant as she always was.

“Well, lets go check it out.”

She was a bit tired from the flight but her curiosity got the better of her, she didn't even notice her Mom following. 

He father led to the building the resembled a small garage and opened the door...inside was a mechanics and science lab! All the equipment was there and every tool you could think of! 

“Is this your new lab Dad?!?”

Tony laughed, “No Sweetie, this is all yours, we thought you'd like your own space.” 

She froze but Tony continued, “You are always more than welcome to work with me Maria, but we don't want you to hold back out of fear, irrational or real. Here you are totally safe if Jarvis senses anything he will advise you to abort your experiment or have you hide there.” He pointed to a shielded area. 

Maria seemed lost so her Mother came forward, “Girls need their own space, like your father said, it's more than okay for you to work with him at home, but if you need some place of your own, you have it now.” 

Her Mother continued, “Maria, nothing that you did made me ill, but I understand your fear and I wanted to give you somewhere you could feel safe working, because I'd kill me if you stopped being my little inventor!” 

Maria smiled, “Thanks Mom, thanks Dad, I-I'll try not to be afraid, but this helps a lot, 'cause I won't hurt any of you if something goes wrong.” 

Her parents shared a look but just hugged her, “We know you won't do anything too careless Maria, remember Jarvis is still everywhere! AND we trust you sweetheart, all of this fear of yours only further proves it!”

Maria just jumped into her mother's arms, she didn't trust her self, but it was nice someone else did!


	15. chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay chapters from here out are basically bonus chapters.

Authors note at end!

Maria noticed her Mom all flushed when she rushed her brothers into the penthouse of Stark Tower clutching something at her chest. It was raining cats and dogs outside and she was glad to see them as she had started to get worried, more so when her dad actually noticed the weather pattern and asked her if she knew when her mom would be home.

Thing was Steph wasn't always the best at constantly checking her phone, especially when she did anything distracting, like taking the boys to Central park.

But clearly they'd been forced back home! Steph yelled at the boys, “get out of your wet clothes and take a hot bath!”

Tara, their housekeeper/nanny came forward and Steph smiled at her, “Can you make sure they do that?” 

Tara just smiled at nodded before following the boys, “Thanks Tara!” 

Maria never took her eyes off of her mother's hands, “What do you have there Mom?”

Her mother blushed, “I-I uh, well, I found a baby.” 

Maria wanted to ask more but her father arrived from the elevator. “Hey babe...and baby!” He smiled brightly at Maria and she did her best not to scoff and roll her eyes, “Dad, I think Mom had another baby.”

Her father just looked at the two of them in shock, “What!”

Steph sighed and gave Maria a dirty look before reaching into her bosom and pulling out a small kitten, it had clearly been soaked and looked rather miserable. 

“I found it in a storm drain on our way back, he or she was all alone so I took it.” 

Maria noticed that her mother looked a bit defensive. Granted, they had no pets, she'd never known her father to have any either except for his bots. She herself had never asked for a cat or dog so she had no idea if it was because of her mom or dad!

Right now she had to guess it was her dad that didn't want animals in the house when her mom said, “If it makes it through the night and into the week, I can always take her to a shelter.”

She did notice her mom going from it to her, which was enough in her mind that she was starting to grow attached. Tony just frowned a little but nodded, “Yeah okay, that's fine!”

The next morning the kitten was still alive, tucked into her mom's boobs...ewww.

She helped her mom for the next week, feeding the kitten milk, brushing it, rubbing it's butt with a cloth to get it to poo, and wash it. By the end she stopped thinking of the kitten as it and rather as she, and she was definitely a she according the vet and was named Emily. They kept making excuses as to why the kitten needed to stay with them another day or two.

Both Maria and her mother were a bit afraid of winning Tony over but one night when Emily had gotten bigger and bolder decided to jump on his chest and promptly curl up and fall asleep...well, they knew from the look on his face as he stroked the little black and white kitten, that he'd been won over. 

Later as he asked his wife where things were with the kitten sitting on his shoulder she'd just smile and tell him where he'd had left his dang tools!

That or Emily would meow when he'd near something he was was looking for.

*I might tie this all together somehow, but basically for now, I'm just adding on bonus scenes*


	16. When Stephanie gets her superpowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Stephanie gets her powers, another add on.

As he watched his wife tear the lab apart and throw the scientists to the left and right he wondered what the hell they'd been thinking when they'd been so easily tricked into giving his wife the super soldier serum. 

He'd been kidnapped when Hydra had uncovered his father's incomplete serum. Kidnapping him and his wife.....they tried to get his kids but their Uncle Bucky had prevented that.... so they tried to use her against him. 

Create the correct serum because we'll use it on your wife, so if it's wrong she'll die...god they were so fucking stupid. Tony corrected the serum, they gave it to his wife and she proceeded to kick all their asses! 

But she at least wasn't stupid, she played dumb for a bit leaking out omega hormones, all weak and sick feeling, so when they let up their guard they didn't expect to be thrown into walls and have their necks broken!

Stephanie knew that her husband wouldn't fuck up, so when the bastards injected her with the serum she wasn't afraid...rather she was angry but also careful as to how she'd react. 

When the pain from the serum was finally over she felt incredibly strong, but she didn't want them to know how strong she was, so she forced her body to excrete omega hormones that would make most alphas and betas think that she felt weak and scared. 

They grabbed her roughly and pulled her into the same room as her husband. A man shouted, “It didn't work she's still a weak omeg.....” 

The bastard didn't even get to finish his sentence, she stood up straight and bashed him up against the nearest wall! 

Swiftly she took the men guarding her husband apart, they hadn't been expecting her, but he had! 

“Steph!” He got up quickly and held her tight, “God, are you ok, Jesus!”

She just huffed, “About damn time you invented that serum!” 

Hugging him back briefly she turned and said, “Let's get the fuck out of here!” 

He smiled brilliantly and just followed her! He watched as she busted heads wherever they went, including the labs. She seemed to take particular joy in busting up the labs and the scientists in them. 

“Honey?” that was all he really had to say.

She just looked at him, “They shouldn't have touched you.” 

He frowned but still helped her destroy the rest of the labs they approached before finally reaching the exit of the horrible place to finally...FINALLY see Shield and others there, including Barton and Romanov!

His wife had some piece of metal raised against her not unlike a shield and Tony had a vision, one of her with a certain costume and certain weapons, but for now his kick ass wife was protecting him with a makeshift shield and he couldn't love her more! 

Shield had delivered the two back home to the tower with Clint and Natasha, her children were ecstatic and so was she but also scared that she'd hurt them with her newfound strength. But luckily nothing happened. 

They finally got the kids to bed and she laid down.....Tony just stared at her, “Honey...” 

She just gave him a look, “Tony, just come here please!” 

He looked at her helplessly, “Honey, I-I'm so sorry, I, you never should have gone through something like this!” 

She just gave him a dirty look, “Tony, I've been through plenty of shit, you are not and will never be that to me! This happened, and you did exactly what I'd hoped you'd do! You saved both of us!” 

Tony didn't know what to say, “Sweetie, I...I have no idea how this will affect you in the long term.” 

Stephanie just laughed, “Tony, you are Iron Man! Whatever this is, it's no big deal, or at least a good compromise to me being worried about you all the damn time!” 

She just gently held him from behind, “Just let me hold you and...Jarvis, always alert me, for now anyway, if I am gripping too hard!”

“Yes, Ma'am., you are eighty percent away from crushing sir.” 

That sounded okay, “Tony, we need a safe word or something though!”

Sleepily he grumbled, “Okay, bumble bee, that will be it.” 

Tucking in and snuggling in she just muttered a dim, “Kay.”


	17. alternate way for Stephanie to meet Tony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One shot of a different way for Stephanie to try to get Tony's attention and get him to help Bucky. Stephanie is tougher in this.

She tried writing, she tried social media, then she tried calling, but to no avail. She was always referred to the same general contacts for anything 'charity' related which ultimately led to no where. 

She then tried Hammer Tech and the owner did respond but was so fucking cloying and fake that she wrote him off. Granted she dressed up quite a bit to his offer of a meeting...not like her first and only with Mr. Stark.

Sitting in the waiting room she wore a sensible suit, her hair up primly, the fake glasses her brother made her wear and the boring but slight heels. 

After trying over and over she'd been told that she might have a chance to see Mr. Stark today. She waited patiently and then a woman with fake blonde hair, somewhat revealing clothing, a LOT of make up and stilettos pranced into the waiting room as soon as Mr. Stark exited his office. He gave her maybe a two second glance before letting the other woman into his office and she was told he didn't have anymore time for interviews that day.

The experience was enough to know that there was no point trying to appeal to him as a person. Still she kept trying...like her meeting with Hammer. 

She, frankly, dressed like a slut, a somewhat classy one, but she wanted to make sure she wouldn't be written off again! But after talking to Hammer she realized that he was in no position to give her what she needed. So she shoved him off of her when he tried to get fresh and then thought about what the hell to do!?! 

Her brother needed an arm. He came back from duty and had lost his arm, he'd always done so much for her and now after doing everything she could think of otherwise, now...she could only try to help him by the sad fact that she was an omega and it was her last weapon! 

Bucky hated the fact that she was one, he didn't want her to be taken advantage of, to the extreme where she hardly knew that she was one growing up and really didn't know how to cope being an omega normally. It was all about suppressing. She had years of self defense training behind her, weapons training, stamina training, etc!

But after he came back from Afghanistan with an arm missing a lot changed. 

Then she attended a science expo where Tony Stark showed off bionic limbs...and she was hooked. 

It led up all to this day! Everything else had failed, this had to work!

She spent weeks before the tryouts learning to be a proper omega from her next door neighbors Darcy and Jane who were both omegas. Weeks of primping, waxing, spray tanning, make up tutorials, etiquette, how to walk and talk and flirt....all led to the tryouts for “Who Wants to Spend a Week with a Billionaire!” 

Which led to lots of cat fights, work outs in skimpy clothes, games, and trivia contests, not to mention strutting around in skanky clothes and bikinis, she always strove to be more true to her self and more conservative than her rivals, that is she tried to keep it classy! Despite that, because who cares about class, she had managed to be one of only three women left in a TV contest to spend a week with Tony Stark at his private home in the Maldives! Yay! 

It was a whole load of shit and she knew it, so she didn't try to be someone she wasn't, but she still did her best to act the part the main thing she did differently was to keep it classier than her 'rivals', she wanted to win but she wasn't going to make an ass of herself to do it. But she also knew that if she won she could announce on live television that she'd like him to build her brother a bionic arm in lieu of a week vacation to the Maldives, that or she would spend the week convincing him to make one for him.

Odd thing was, it seemed the audience preferred her to many of the slutty girls and she constantly stayed among the top votes. She was pretty good at putting girls down with one liners and winks that suggested yeah I get all this shit, but I'm not a snot so I'm not going to call you on it! That seemed to help her out a lot.

Commentators kept calling the other girls one's you'd have sex with, but her the one you'd marry and have sex with...she wasn't sure if that was a compliment or not! 

The contest ended with a major obstacle course, why she had no idea but she guessed they figured it be super entertaining to see omega women crawling through mud and swinging on ropes. The other women clearly exercised a lot, but she doubted that they'd ever trained with military men like she had. They didn't let omegas in the military but that didn't stop her brother and his well meaning friends from training her! 

All the betting polls put her on the last to win, mostly because Tony liked her the least but she passed all the tests and managed to woo over the general audience with her good nature ways; but now...now they'd really know what she could do. Since the contest was based on votes from audience members and not from Tony the counts were so close that basically whoever beat the course would win. At this point it was all up to the final contestants! 

Bob, the host interviewed each before the start of the contest. Bonnie was first in her stupid under armor sports bra and biker shorts, designer shoes, and her hair and make up done perfectly, then Helen, similarly dressed, both gushed about how much time they spent on yoga, Pilates, and cross fit. 

Then he came to her, she was wearing a long sleeve shirt with an army t-shirt over it, she had military style pants, boots, finger less gloves, and her hair was tightly held back. “Well, Stephanie, you look quite serious!”

“Yeah, well, I didn't come here to lose Bob!” 

She stood on the stage and watched the audience's reaction to that (a, 'oh damn!' kinda moment) and their reaction to the obstacle course, she kicked ass! She outdid all the other woman by at least forty five minutes if not an hour and was hardly winded coming up to the close and accepting the win from the drill instructor in charge, it was the first time she'd truly shown off. Especially the part where you were supposed to spar with those stupid sticks with huge pillow things on the end, she just dropped hers and knocked the solider sparring with her to the ground in less than three moves!

Dimly she remembered the instructor saying that she'd make an amazing solider, though it was quietly into her ear.

It had been meant to be a surprise, she saw Tony Stark's look of shock. The audience seemed in shock as well, then there was lots of screaming and cheering. 

Led over by the host of the show he asked her, “Ciara! When did you learn to do all that!?!” Asking what everyone else was asking seeing as no one really expected omegas to be physically strong.

“My brother was in the military, he and his friends gave me training since was a kid.”

The host just gave the audience a brilliant smile, “Well done Ciara, so what does it feel like to win, to know you'll be alone with Tony?”

She saw his pinched smile and smirked at the host, “I never wanted to go on vacation with Mr. Stark, I did all this because I've been trying to talk to him about making a prosthetic arm for my brother.” 

The crowd grew silent. The host stared at her, so did Mr. Stark. She continued, “He lost his arm in combat and not just any prosthetic limb mind you, one like I saw at the Stark expo last November, modeled by a man named Clint I think? Yes, I'd much rather have that than a vacation!” 

She wondered if Tony's eyes could grow any larger before he burst out laughing, “Your wish is my command my Lady seeing as you won!” 

He took her by the elbow and she allowed him to lead her off stage seeing as she didn't want to make anymore of a spectacle of herself than she already had. Though the moment they started to walk off the crowd began to cheer like crazy, people like to be shocked she guessed.

Sure enough once they were offstage she was attacked. “What are you doing?” “You are ruining the show!”, etc.

She was soon to give quite a description of what she thought of the show when Mr. Stark interrupted. 

“This shit was all just for publicity and charity anyway, how do you care how it ended, just fuck off, I need to go design an arm!”

Well that was shocking to say the least, more so when Tony just grabbed her arm and ushered her into his car, “Okay, so how exactly was he injured, what joints does he still have, is he opposed to titanium?”

He suddenly noticed the shocked look on her face, “No-no of course not, only vibranium.” 

She had to stop him at that! Vibranium was the rarest and most expensive metal on the planet! 

“Mr. Stark!” 

He hardly responded, “Tony!”

The man then stopped, she guessed he didn't identify himself as 'Mr. Stark'. 

“I was just hoping to get your attention and hopefully get my brother a new arm, you don't need to go overboard.”

Tony frowned, “Why not, for you and your brother only the best right?”

Frowning, “Tony, I don't understand, it was just a silly contest.”

The man actually blushed a little, “Yes it was, but only omegas were allowed to enter and only those that I or those close to me thought might be a match. You were chosen by both Pepper, Rhodey, and Jarvis!” 

Shrugging he laughed, 

“I didn't want to do this so I only picked pretty airheads who I figured would be happy to just sit on a beach for a week and get over nothing else happening.” 

He smiled and came close to her, “But you....you were so much more interesting, then I tried to not pick you so I wouldn't have to face an amazing girl at the end, dick move right, can't fight fate, So! 

He fidgeted a bit, “Can we discuss what your brother needs during our week in the Maldives!” 

Stephanie wasn't sure how serious he was, but then again a year later, her brother had an arm, she had a husband, and Tony wasn't allowed to do anymore TV shows! In fact he wasn't allowed to get away with too much of his nonsense and secretly, he loved it.


End file.
